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23,500 | 2 | Scared and alone... Patty Gilbert has dreamed of being a ballerina since she was a little girl. Following her dream has meant making sacrifices, and one thing Patty has never had time for is friends. But when she beats out her biggest rival, Kerry Glenn, for the lead role in Swan Lake, Patty is sure it's all been worth it.Then Patty learns she has scoliosis, which means she'll have to wear a back brace for several years. Patty feels as if all her dreams have been shattered and the worst part is she has nowhere to turn for support. Kerry has always acted friendly--and she's the only person who really seems to understand how Patty feels about ballet. But can Patty trust Kerry with her secret?and alone... Patty Gilbert has dreamed of being a ballerina since she was a little girl. Following her dream has meant making sacrifices, and one thing Patty has never had time for is friends. But when she beats out her biggest rival, Kerry Glenn, for the lead role in Swan Lake, Patty is sure it's all been worth it.Then Patty learns she has scoliosis, which means she'll have to wear a back brace for several years. Patty feels as if all her dreams have been shattered and the worst part is she has nowhere to turn for support. Kerry has always acted friendly--and she's the only person who really seems to understand how Patty feels about ballet. But can Patty trust Kerry with her secret?; Title: PATTY'S LAST DANCE (SWEET VALLEY TWINS) | [
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23,501 | 2 | gerous game...Social studies class gets a lot more exciting when a visiting teacher, Mr. Levin, comes to Sweet Valley Middle School to teach the students a game. The rules are simple: Mr. Levin tells the students what to wear the next day, and they get points for obedience and demerits for disobedience. They get extra points for ratting on anyone who disobeys.Everyone loves the game, especially Aaron Dallas, who is determined to be the best player of all. But Elizabeth Wakefield thinks something is fishy. Why is it so important that everyone dress the exact same way? And if it's just a game, why is everyone taking it so seriously?; Title: It Can't Happen Here (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,502 | 2 | aughter Switchplaying MomAfter a big fight with their mother, identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield come up with a brilliant way to show her that being a kid is no piece of cake: they decide that she should give it a try. To their shock and delight, their mother agrees! The twins will get to be their own mothers, while Mrs. Wakefield will be a kid.But the twins soon discover that parenthood is exhausting -- who would have guessed Mrs. Wakefield would be such a messy, mischievous kid? Jessica and Elizabeth decide to trade places again -- but their mother says no! Are the twins stuck being their mother's mother forever?Don't miss any of the books in this fabulous series!; Title: The Mother-Daughter Switch (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,503 | 2 | ensory perception . . . Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are so different, it's sometimes hard to believe they're twin until the day they discover that they can read each other's minds!When their friends hear about the twins' special talent, they convince them to be the star performers in the upcoming school talent show.But one morning the twins wake up to discover that their gift is gone.Now Jessica and Elizabeth must figure out how to convince people that they're still psychic.Otherwise, they'll be the laughingstocks of the entire school!Don't miss any of the books in this fabulous series!; Title: Psychic Sisters (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,504 | 2 | kefield and her friends are walking on the beach one stormy afternoon when they witness a terrible surfing accident. Denny Jacobson is drowning! Elizabeth dives into the water and saves him.Now Elizabeth is a hero. Her picture's in the newspaper, and Denny showers her with gifts and attention. But Janet Howell, president of the Unicorns, is mad!She's got a big crush on Denny and is determined to make Elizabeth's life miserable.Elizabeth decides being a hero stinks. How can she possibly get Denny--and now Janet--to leave her alone? Finally she and Jessica cook up a brilliant plan to get rid of them both, but it might mean putting Elizabeth in danger!; Title: ELIZABETH THE HERO (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,505 | 21 | Nikki has dreamed about figure skating in the Olympics for as long as she can remember. Now she has the chance to join the Silver Blades, a highly selective, grueling club that prepares skaters for elite competitions. When Nikki is accepted, she finds all her time and energy earmarked for skating, her decision to join the junior high dance committee notwithstanding. Lowell uses heavy-handed, predictable plot lines to teach lessons about persistence, pressure, rivalry and friendship, then resorts to simplistic resolutions when it's time to wrap up her story. But the quick pace and the glamour of the rink may be enough for Nancy Kerrigan wannabes. Other titles in the Silver Blades series, to be released next season, revolve around Nikki's clubmates as they, too, strive for glory. Ages 9-12. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 4-5-Nikki Simon's lifelong dream and ambition is achieved when she is chosen to fill one of the six vacancies in the exclusive Silver Blades Skating Club. The plot is embellished with the usual preteen activities involving boys, parties, and jealousies of other girls. The main focus of the story is ice skating, and it should appeal to fans of the sport.Molly Godley, Seagate Elementary School, Naples, FLCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Breaking the Ice (Silver Blades, No. 1) | [
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23,506 | 2 | ill on the outskirts of Sweet Valley sits a beautiful old Victorian house. It stood empty until a few weeks ago, when a new family moved in...the perfect clients for Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield's baby-sitting service....The Wakefield twins and their friends from Sweet Valley Middle School love babysitting for the Riccolis. Until little Juliana Riccoli starts having horrible nightmares. One night she wakes up crying, saying a monster attacked her. The twins tell her that bad dreams aren't real, but Elizabeth is secretly afraid. If the monster isn't real, why does Juliana have deep scratches in her back?; Title: Too Scared to Sleep (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,507 | 2 | ill on the outskirts of Sweet Valley sits a beautiful old Victorian house. It stood empty until a few weeks ago, when a new family moved in...the perfect clients for Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield's baby-sitting service....Identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield and their friends from Sweet Valley Middle School thought they'd landed their dream job when they started babysitting for the Riccoli kids. But little by little, their dream job is turning into a nightmare.Andrew Riccoli dreams that someone tried to set fire to his room--and wakes up in a cloud of smoke. Then Gretchen Riccoli dreams she's falling--and wakes up at the bottom of the mansion's dark, winding staircase. The babysitters are getting scared...too scared to close their eyes in the Riccoli mansion.; Title: The Beast is Watching You (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,508 | 2 | wler's birthday! She's having the biggest party ever, with pony rides, a magician, and lots and lots of ice cream! Elizabeth Wakefield can't wait for the party, but her friend Eva Simpson isn't excited at all. Eva's worried her homemade present isn't good enough for Lila. Can Elizabeth convince Eva that friendship is the most important gift of all?<br><br>Lila's<br><br>Birthday Bash<br><br>Don't miss any of the books in this exciting series!; Title: Lila's Birthday Bash (Sweet Valley Kids) | [
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23,509 | 2 | Julie Porter can't wait to start karate lessons in gym class even though Charlie Cashman and the other boys say she's too small to be any good. But Julie carefully watches the teacher, Mr. Ogata, and works hard at mastering each karate move. That doesn't stop Charlie from teasing Julie--taunting her to try to karate kick him. But Julie doesn't want to. She knows the best karate students never try to fight. Can she show Charlie and his friends who's tougher--without losing her cool?can't wait to start karate lessons in gym class even though Charlie Cashman and the other boys say she's too small to be any good. But Julie carefully watches the teacher, Mr. Ogata, and works hard at mastering each karate move. That doesn't stop Charlie from teasing Julie--taunting her to try to karate kick him. But Julie doesn't want to. She knows the best karate students never try to fight. Can she show Charlie and his friends who's tougher--without losing her cool?; Title: Julie the Karate Kid (Sweet Valley Kids) | [
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23,510 | 2 | A magical solution . . .Peter Bums has a huge crush on Mary Wallace. But Mary doesn't think Peter is the boy for her--and Mary's friends in the Unicorn Club are certain that Peter is the wrong kind of boyfriend for a Unicorn! No matter what Mary says, Peter won't take the hint. Then Mary and the other Unicorns stir up a fake magical brew to sell at the Sweet Valley Middle School Carnival. Will this love potion work some real magic and change Mary's mind about Peter?cal solution. . . Peter Bums has a huge crush on Mary Wallace.But Mary doesn't think Peter is the boy for her--and Mary's friends in the Unicorn Club are certain that Peter is the wrong kind of boyfriend for a Unicorn!No matter what Mary says, Peter won't take the hint.Then Mary and the other Unicorns stir up a fake magical brew to sell at the Sweet Valley Middle School Carnival.Will this love potion work some real magic and change Mary's mind about Peter?; Title: The Love Potion (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,511 | 2 | Jessica's waiting for the big one . . .When Jessica Wakefield wakes up in the middle of the night, her whole room is shaking. The next day at school, Jessica is a celebrity: she's the only one who witnessed Sweet Valley's own earthquake!When Jessica hears reports that another, bigger earthquake may hit, she quickly spreads the news. After all, Jessica is Sweet Valley's earthquake expert! The more people she tells, the bigger and more dramatic the story becomes. Soon Jessica has everybody preparing for a real catastrophe!Don't Miss Any Of The Books In This Fabulous Series!; Title: Jessica and the Earthquake (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,512 | 2 | Elizabeth Wakefield is scared. Patty, the new third-grader on the bus, is big and mean and she's after Elizabeth! Nobody knows why Patty is so nasty, and nobody can stop her. Elizabeth's twin sister, Jessica, tries to help, but that makes Patty act even meaner. It's up to Elizabeth to stand up to the bully. Can she do it?kefield is scared. Patty, the new third-grader on the bus, is big and mean -- and she's after Elizabeth! Nobody knows why Patty is so nasty, and nobody can stop her. Elizabeth's twin sister, Jessica, tries to help, but that makes Patty act even meaner. It's up to Elizabeth to stand up to the bully. Can she do it?Scaredy-Cat ElizabethDon't miss any of the books in this exciting series!; Title: Scaredy-Cat Elizabeth (Sweet Valley Kids) | [
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23,513 | 2 | Lila's in way over her head...The Unicorns are making a music video! Lila Fowler insists on being the singer, since it's her video camera. There's one catch: Lila has a terrible voice, and she'll be humiliated if anyone finds out.As hard as Johanna Porter tries to coach her, Lila is hopeless. Johanna is shy, but she has a fabulous voice--which gives Lila a great idea: Johanna will do the real singing from backstage, while Lila lip-synchs on camera!Their plan works perfectly. The video is so fantastic that the unicorns submit it to a contest on Rock TV, and Lila wins the chance to perform--live! Lila is terrified. How will she ever get away with this one?in way over her head... The Unicorns are making a music video! Lila Fowler insists on being the singer, since it's her video camera. There's one catch: Lila has a terrible voice, and she'll be humiliated if anyone finds out.As hard as Johanna Porter tries to coach her, Lila is hopeless. Johanna is shy, but she has a fabulous voice--which gives Lila a great idea: Johanna will do the real singing from backstage, while Lila lip-synchs on camera!Their plan works perfectly. The video is so fantastic that the unicorns submit it to a contest on Rock TV, and Lila wins the chance to perform--live! Lila is terrified. How will she ever get away with this one?; Title: Lila's Music Video (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,514 | 2 | kefield is the star of the Sweet Valley Soccer League. Her good friend Todd Wilkins plays on the team, too. But suddenly the other boys are teasing Todd, saying that Elizabeth is his "girlfriend." Now Todd is being mean to Elizabeth. He says she's not good at sports just because she's a girl! Playing soccer isn't fun anymore, so Elizabeth quits. But without their best player, the soccer team can't win! Can the team get Elizabeth back?; Title: No Girls Allowed (Sweet Valley Kids) | [
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23,515 | 2 | Married, with children ...As part of a health-class project, all the students at Sweet Valley Middle School are pairing up into simulated marriages. Their assignment is to manage a make-believe household and care for an egg that represents a baby. The only problem is, their teacher, Mr. Siegel, is picking the couples!Elizabeth Wakefield finds herself paired with snobb Bruce Patman, who refuses to help out. Jessica Wakefield's pretend husband, Rick Hunter, teases her mercilessly and refuses to cut it out. And Todd Wilkins gets stuck with Lila Fowler, who only wants to eat out! Can the middle-schoolers survive two whole weeks of married life?d, with children ... As part of a health-class project, all the students at Sweet Valley Middle School are pairing up into simulated marriages.Their assignment is to manage a make-believe household and care for an egg that represents a baby.The only problem is, their teacher, Mr. Siegel, is picking the couples!Elizabeth Wakefield finds herself paired with snobb Bruce Patman, who refuses to help out.Jessica Wakefield's pretend husband, Rick Hunter, teases her mercilessly and refuses to cut it out.And Todd Wilkins gets stuck with Lila Fowler, who only wants to eat out!Can the middle-schoolers survive two whole weeks of married life?; Title: The Middle School Gets Married (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,516 | 21 | A group of U.S. Special Olympics skaters is on its way to Seneca Hills! And the Silver Blades members are really excited about coaching these talented young athletes. Nikki Simon's the luckiest of them all because she gets to coach Carrie, the best pairs skater they have. Carrie can't wait to hit the ice, but Nikki can't seem to warm up to the idea. In fact, she seems to be hiding something... but what?.S. Special Olympics skaters is onits way to Seneca Hills! And the Silver Bladesmembers are really excited about coaching thesetalented young athletes. Nikki Simon's the luckiest ofthem all because she gets to coach Carrie, thebest pairs skater they have. Carrie can't wait tohit the ice, but Nikki can't seem to warm up to theidea. In fact, she seems to be hiding something...but what?; Title: The Winning Spirit (Silver Blades) | [
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23,517 | 2 | on to theFrightening Four miniseries!On ahill on the outskirts of Sweet Valley sits abeautiful old Victorian house. It stood empty until afew weeks ago, when a big family moved in . . .the perfect clients for Elizabeth and JessicaWakefield's new baby-sitting service . . . .Identical twins Elizabeth andJessica Wakefield and their friends have learned onething from baby-sitting for the Riccoli family:dreams can come true . . . and so can nightmares. Whenthe fire in Andrew Riccoli's dream turned to realflames, the twins took action. They killed theevil creature--half girl, half monster--in the kids'nightmares.Before she killedthem.Now that thebeast is dead, the Riccoli kids will hOn the widow's walk of the old Victorian mansion,the creature turns to face her prey. Her lips curlup into an evil smile. At last, she thinks. Afterall these years she has them just where she wantsthem. An icy wind blows across the rooftop. Thecreature takes a step forward in the chill of thenight. Near the edge of the roof the two boys andthree girls huddle against each other. One of thegirls is sobbing, her blond hair blowing wildly inthe night breeze. A boy has a face as white as asheet. All look wet. Cold. Forlorn. A chuckle escapesthe creature's throat. Another step forward. Andanother. The creature fixes her victims with avictorious stare. She's been waiting for thismoment."Welcome," she hisses. Thunder crashesviolently, and the railing stands out in a brilliantflash of lightning. "Welcome to your worstnightmare."She pauses, searching the faces in frontof her and relishing the looks of terror shesees."And welcome," she adds in the softest ofwhispers. "Welcome to your death."Raindropspelted against Elizabeth Wakefield's face as shestood on the widow's walk. Above her head thunderroared ominously. Elizabeth's twin sister, Jessica,was sobbing with fright. But Elizabeth had eyesonly for the monstrous girl in front of her. Wrappedin a ragged nightgown, the figure stepped slowly,deliberately forward. This can't be happening,Elizabeth thought desperately. It can't! She dug herfingernails into her palm so hard, her hand hurt.It's only a dream, she told herself. It isn't real.It can't be. But it was."Take it away!"Winston Egbert sobbed. His fingers scrabbled at therailing. Elizabeth could see him blinking rapidly,as if hoping he could somehow make the monsterdisappear. With a peculiar swaying step the creaturemoved even closer. Elizabeth shrank back. Her eyesswept across the monster's face--the crooked nose,the dead-looking eyes, the horrifyingly scarredflesh. Elizabeth drew in her breath."Should weshout for help?" Amy Sutton burrowed againstElizabeth's shoulder."No one would hear us.We're too high." Todd Wilkins glanced quicklyover the rail that separated the widow's walk fromthe edge of the roof. "We're like, fourfloors up, and with the wind the way it is--" Hebroke off as a sudden gust rattled the roof. ToElizabeth, the noise sounded louder than a jetengine."And we can't jump for it either," Amycontinued brokenly. "We'd--We'd--" Shetook a deep shuddering breath. "We'd crash onthe ground and--"And die, Elizabeth finishedthe sentence in her head. With a sudden hissingsound the beast advanced another step. What was leftof its eyes glittered sharply, reminding Elizabethof the cold steel of a knife blade.; Title: If I Die Before I Wake (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,518 | 7 | ells the future?Summer vacation is here, and Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and their friends have just arrived at sleep-away camp! On a hike through a dark, eerie cave, Elizabeth finds something incredible -- a glowing pen! She can't wait to use it to write an article for the camp newspaper.But as she writes, Elizabeth is astonished to find herself composing a mystery full of scary twists and turns. And to her horror, little by little the mystery seems to be coming true! This isn't just an ordinary pen. Could it be haunted?Don't Miss Any Of The Books In This Fabulous Series!; Title: The Secret of the Magic Pen (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,519 | 0 | Donald J. Sobol was the author of the highly acclaimed Encyclopedia Brown series and many other books. His awards include a special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his contribution to mystery writing in the United States, and the Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Readers Choice Award for Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace.; Title: Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies | [
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23,520 | 2 | is driving Jessica Wakefield crazy! Janet is one of the most popular and important girls at Sweet Valley Middle School, but when she's mean, she's really mean. And ever since she and her sort-of boyfriend, Denny, got into a huge fight, Janet has been utterly impossible. So Jessica decides to get Janet and Denny back together. And if it takes a little fib to do it, well, all's fair in love, right?Not quite. Jessica's twin sister, Elizabeth, overhears her scheme and gives her a lecture on lying that hurts Jessica's feelings. So Jessica makes a wish that Elizabeth would have to tell nothing but the truth. But when her wish comes true, Jessica is anything but happy! Not only can't Elizabeth stop telling the truth, she can't seem to keep her mouth shut about Jessica! Can Jessica reverse the wish in time to save herself from Elizabeth's obnoxious honesty?; Title: Jessica's No Angel (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,521 | 2 | of 7-year-old Jessica Wakefield...Our class took a field trip to a pumpkin patch! Everyone had fun--everyone except me and my twin sister, Elizabeth. We think we saw a witch! Is the Sweet Valley pumpkin patch haunted? I'm going back to find out!; Title: The Witch in the Pumpkin Patch (Sweet Valley Kids) | [
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23,522 | 2 | field is a wonderful baker! At least, that's what her home economics teacher thinks when she tastes the cookies Jessica baked in class. They're so good, the teacher submits a batch to the producer of the television talk show Lifestyles of the French and Famous. And now the producer has invited Jessica to appear on the show with four hundred of her delicious cookies for the studio audience!Jessica is thrilled. She and her friends in the exclusive Unicorn Club get to work baking cookies. But there's one big problem: Jessica can't remember the secret ingredient that made her recipe so amazing! And the harder the Unicorns try to follow the recipe, the worse the cookies taste. Will Jessica have to appear on national television with four hundred of the worst cookies ever baked?; Title: Jessica's Cookie Disaster (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,523 | 2 | Playing detective...When a charm school opens in Sweet Valley, Jessica Wakefield can't wait to attend. What could be better than taking classes to learn about clothes, makeup, and going parties? Jessica's twin sister, Elizabeth, has no interest in the school at all--until she uncovers some suspicious things about its owners. Elizabeth convinces her friends Amy and Maria to sign up for classes and do some detective work. But the girls soon realize that charm school isn't as easy as they thought it would be. What's more, Amy and Maria are worried that Elizabeth's sleuthing may put them in real danger. It looks as if the girls may be in over their heads--in class and in their investigation!g detective...When a charm school opens in Sweet Valley,Jessica Wakefield can't wait to attend. What could bebetter than taking classes to learn about clothes,makeup, and going parties? Jessica's twin sister,Elizabeth, has no interest in the school atall--until she uncovers some suspicious things about itsowners. Elizabeth convinces her friends Amy andMaria to sign up for classes and do some detectivework. But the girls soon realize that charm schoolisn't as easy as they thought it would be. What'smore, Amy and Maria are worried that Elizabeth'ssleuthing may put them in real danger. It looks asif the girls may be in over their heads--in classand in their investigation!; Title: The Charm School Mystery (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,524 | 2 | ght before Christmas and the night before Christmas and...Identical Twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield couldn't be more excited about their Christmas Eve tree-trimming party.But while Elizabeth is caught up in the spirit of the season, Jessica is caught up in her favorite subject--Jessica.When she tries to hog all the attention at the party, she winds up destroying the Christmas, ruiningElizabeth's night-- and making a total fool of herself.It's the worst Christmas Eve ever!Jessica wakes up grumpy on what she thinks is Christmas morning...but she soon discovers it's Christmas Eve all over again!Jessica has a second chance to make everything go her way, but when her selfish plans backfire once more, she wakes up to another Christmas Eve...and another...and another!Will Jessica break the spell and move on to Christmas Day, or is she doomed to spend eternity on an awful Christmas Eve?"Lila, you go first." Jessica Wakefield held the big hat full of tiny scraps of paper out to her best friend.This was the first day of Sweet Valley Middle School's Christmas vacation.In two days, Jessica and her twin sister, Elizabeth, were hosting a Christmas Eve party.Everyone they had invited was now gathered around Jessica in the Wakefields' living room.They were drawing names out of a hat to see whom they would be "Secret Santa" for."Well, naturally.Don't I always go first?" Lila Fowler asked as she swept her long brown hair over her shoulder.Jessica smiled sweetly.Even though Lila was her best friend, sometimes Lila's constant bragging drove Jessica crazy.She had to fight the urge, but Jessica decided not to say anything, because she wanted Mike McClusky to think she was a kind, generous person.Mike had moved to Sweet Valley from Florida only about a month ago.Jessica didn't know him very well yet, but she could tell that he thought she was cute.That much was obvious from the way he kept smiling at her from his seat across the room next to Lila.Jessica thought he was an absolute dreamboat.He had wavy blond hair and gorgeous bright green eyes.He was taller than most of the boys in the seventh grade, although he was in the sixth.He also seemed to have a great sense of humor.Right now, he was rolling his eyes, and Jessica had to stifle a giggle."Make sure you pick the best name out of the hat, Lila," Aaron Dallas joked from across the room.Aaron was Jessica's sort-of boyfriend, and he was funny and very cute.But Jessica didn't even bother to laugh at his joke.Ever since Mike had moved to town, she had eyes only for him.Jessica's friends from the Unicorn Club--a group of the prettiest and most popular girls at Sweet Valley Middle School--were sitting on one side of the living room.Elizabeth's friends--mostly from the sixth-grade newspaper, Sixers, and other projects she was involved in--were sitting on the other.The two groups of friends didn't always get along, but they were getting along today.The holiday spirit had infected everyone.Lila rummaged in the felt hat and pulled out a slip of paper.Her eyes widened as she read off the name to herself.Jessica wondered who she'd picked.Me? Jessica guessed hopefully.As Sweet Valley's resident millionaire, Lila would be the perfect person to have as a Secret Santa.She'd probably ignore the ten-dollar spending limit they'd set and go ahead and buy Jessica something really expensive and fabulous."Who did you get, Lila?" Ellen Riteman asked."It's a secret," Elizabeth Wakefield said with a smile."That's why it's called Secret Santas.""Oh." Ellen giggled, turning beet red."Right."Jessica walked around the circle of friends, holding the hat in front of each one and waiting for them to pick a name."Cool!" Aaron exclaimed as he read his slip of paper."This is going to be easy.""This isn't," Ken Mathews complained."I'll be shopping for hours.""Oh, man," Winston Egbert groaned as he made his selection."Can I pick again?""No!" Jessica said."Definitely not."Really, if the boys were going to be such whiners about the whole thing, then maybe they shouldn't be invited to her party.She hoped none of them had picked her name.But, of course, if they had, they wouldn't be groaning.Anyway, if a guy was going to choose her name, then she wanted it to be Mike McClusky.It would be so romantic if he were her Secret Santa!He'd give her a much better present than any of those other guys, because he'd truly and deeply care whether she liked the gift or not.Jessica held the hat toward her twin."Go ahead, Elizabeth.Your turn." She smiled.Elizabeth took a name out of the hat.When she read it, her eyes widened in surprise.She looked stunned, in fact.Then she recovered, looking up at the group with a broad smile."Great! This is going to be a real challenge."I wonder who she got, Jessica thought.I'll have to ask her later.Even though the Secret Santas were supposed to be top secret, Elizabeth couldn't keep that information to herself forever.After all, she and Jessica were identical twins, and that meant they should share everything.Of course, just because they looked identical, with long blond hair and blue-green eyes, that didn't mean they did everything exactly the same way.For instance, Elizabeth probably wouldn't even want to tell Jessica who she'd picked.She'd act all honorable and refuse to break the rules.That is, until Jessica convinced her to spill the beans.Jessica lived for breaking rules.She'd be the first to tell Elizabeth whom she was Secret Santa for.Jessica believed in sharing crucial information.What good were secrets--about Santa or anything else--if you couldn't share them with somebody?"You go next," Elizabeth said, holding the hat toward Jessica."OK," Jessica said, excited.She rummaged around in the hat.Please pick Mike's name, please pick Mike's name....She grasped a scrap of paper and opened it.; Title: The Year Without Christmas (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,525 | 2 | is dreading Valentine's Day. She has no valentine, and she's determined not to let her friends in the exclusive Unicorn Club know. So she tells everyone that she does have a boyfriend and sends herself flowers and candy to prove it. Her valentine's name is Gray Williams, and he's rich, cute, and completely made up.The Unicorns are totally impressed, and Lila is thrilled -- until her friends pressure her into bringing Gray to the Valentine's dance. How can she bring a date that doesn't exist?; Title: Lila's Secret Valentine (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,526 | 21 | ong is only eleven, but she can already skate as well as -- even better than -- the older girls in Silver Blades. The only problem is that the other skaters still treat her like a baby.<br><br>So Amber decides to take the senior-level skating test. She'll be the youngest skater ever to pass, and then the other girls will have to stop treating her like a little kid.<br><br>Amber is sure her plan will work. But is she headed for success, or for total disaster?<br><br>Don't miss the other books about the Silver Blades skaters!; Title: A Leap Ahead (Silver Blades) | [
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23,527 | 7 | Everyone thinks of Elizabeth Wakefield as the nice twin. That's why she loves her Halloween mask it's so scary that no one can believe Elizabeth is behind it. But her appearance isn't the only think that changes when she puts on the mask little by little it makes Elizabeth act evil...only Elizabeth doesn't know it. Can her twin sister Jessica destroy the mask before Elizabeth does something she'll regret forever?nks of Elizabeth Wakefield as thenice twin. That's why she loves her Halloweenmask it's so scary that no one can believe Elizabeth isbehind it. But her appearance isn't the only thinkthat changes when she puts on the mask little bylittle it makes Elizabeth act evil...only Elizabethdoesn't know it. Can her twin sister Jessicadestroy the mask before Elizabeth does something she'llregret forever?; Title: Evil Elizabeth (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,528 | 2 | the Saddle Club--Stevie Lake, Carole Hanson, and Lisa Atwood--and their friend Emily have headed West to the Bar None Dude Ranch. Emily has cerebral palsy. She's helping the ranch's owner make it accessible to riders with special needs. At the ranch, they meet a girl their own age--a former rider who has lost part of her leg in a motorbike accident. She doesn't plan to get on a horse ever again. In the meantime, the Saddle Club and Emily are riding so much, they're saddle sore! Is it possible to have too much of a good thing?; Title: Saddle Sore (Saddle Club, Book 66) | [
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23,529 | 2 | and Randy Mason are great students. Or at least they were, before Mr. Jules and Ms. Sherman, two of the harshest graders in middle-school history, became substitute teachers at SVMS. Cammi thinks there's only one way to get the subs to soften: make them fall in love...with each other!Playing matchmaker isn't easy, so Cammi convinces Randy to put aside his books long enough to help her out. Cammi and Randy make a great team, but as their efforts start to pay off, Cammi realizes there's another match she wants to make. Can lightning strike between her and Randy?"Cammi, what great news!"  Jessica slid into a seat opposite Cammi in the lunchroom that day.  "Wow.  Scholar of the Semester.  Who could have imagined?"Cammi smiled.  "Actually, I've been working toward it all semester.""Well, it's incredibly impressive," Jessica said.  She examined Cammi's dark brown hair and her pretty green eyes.  If only she weren't wearing a gray jumper with brown shoes and white knee-highs, she could actually be kind of cute, Jessica thought."Thanks," Cammi said, poking a straw into her carton of milk."I could never do what you do," Jessica said, shaking her head.  "The dedication, the hard work, always getting A's on everything--""Sure you could," Cammi said.  "You just have to spend a lot of time studying, that's all.  Anyone can succeed if they work hard enough.""Right," Jessica agreed.  Not that she was about to start ditching football games for study sessions...and even if she did, she doubted she could actually pull off a perfect grade point average, like Cammi.  "But you know, sometimes it takes more than hard work.  Especially when you want to win Scholar of the Semester."Cammi's forehead creased.  "What do you mean?""Well, I bet there's hardly like one one-millionth of a point between the three finalists," Jessica said.  "Or maybe the three of you are all tied.  With straight A's.  So unless someone starts doing really, really horrible all of a sudden...like, say, Randy--""Why would he?" Cammi asked.  "He's been getting straight A's and A pluses since kindergarten.""True.  But so have you," Jessica said.  "And who deserves to win more?"Cammi shrugged.  "I don't know.  Both of us, I guess?""No!" Jessica cried.  "You've got it all wrong, Cammi.  You deserve to win more than anyone.  And I'm going to help you.  All we have to do is make Randy slip up a little, and presto!  You shoot into the lead--you win!"Cammi didn't say anything.  She was staring at Jessica, completely dumbfounded."Doesn't that sound great?" Jessica went on.  "You'll win Scholar of the Semester, and we'll all have that sixth-grade celebration day at the park, and--""You want me to sabotage Randy?" Cammi sounded frightened."Don't sweat it," Jessica told her.  "Hey, I can do it all on my own, if you don't want to be involved.  I'll steal his homework or something.  One little C on his record and--kaboom!  His grade point average is blown to smithereens."  Whatever a smithereen is, Jessica thought.  Cammi's so smart, she must know."Jessica, if I win the Scholar of the Semester award, I want to do it all on my own," Cammi said.  "I would never try to win by ruining Randy's chances--that's not fair!  I can't believe you'd even suggest it."  She tugged at one of her knee-highs, pulling it up.  "Besides, the other student might still beat me.""Hmm, good point," Jessica admitted.  Obviously, it was no accident that Cammi was a candidate for Scholar of the Semester.  Knocking Randy out of the competition wouldn't necessarily ensure Cammi's victory.  She tapped her fingernails against the table.  She tried to remember what she did whenever she needed a really good grade on something.  "I know what you can do!" she cried.  "And this is much easier than worrying about Randy's grades."Cammi looked up distrustfully.  "What are you talking about?""It's so simple.  All you have to do is brownnose your teachers!" Jessica declared happily.  "Tell them how wonderful they are, how much you love their classes, how much you're learning, how you'll remember them when you're rich and famous--"  She stopped, gazing at Cammi for a second.  They probably weren't heading down the same career path.  "When you're rich and smart, I mean," she continued.  "Butter them up.  Tell them they're the best thing since--since E-mail!""Jessica, forget it!  I'm going to win fair and square," Cammi insisted.  "Not by acting like a phony.  I've made it this far on my grades I can make it all the way.""OK.  If you say so." Jessica sighed, standing up.  If Cammi wouldn't be a brownnose to win the Scholar of the Semester, she knew someone else who might consider the idea.It was the only way to make sure Randy got A pluses in all his classes.  And an A+ average would beat a plain old A average any day!Excerpted from Cammi's Crush by Jamie Suzanne.  Copyright © 1997 by Francine Pascal.  Excerpted by permission of Bantam Books, a division of the Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.  All rights reserved.  No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.; Title: Cammi's Crush (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,530 | 2 | ing sleepy . ..Something very strange is going on at Sweet ValleyMiddle School. It all started when the MysteriousDr. Q hypnotized Jessica Wakefield and herclassmates during a school assembly. They were soimpressed by Dr. Q's performance that they decided totry a little hypnotism of theirown.The hypnosis works like a charm. Jessicaconvinces Janet Howell and Amy Sutton that they'retwins, Lila Fowler that she was a duck in a pastlife, and Elizabeth Wakefield that she's fallen inlove with obnoxious Bruce Patman! Can Jessicasnap her friends out of it . . . or will they bespellbound forever?Jessica stood up and examined her sleepingsister. She looked asleep, at least. Jessica's lipscurved into a smile. She was going to programElizabeth to think that Jessica Wakefield was the greatestperson the world had ever known. "You aretruly sleepy," she chanted. "When you wakeup, you will love and admire the greatest person onearth--" She paused for effect, enjoying themoment. "The one and only--""BrucePatman!" Ellen Riteman's angry voice came outof the darkness, just as Jessica said"Jessica Wakefield!""Sor-ry," Brucegrumbled. "How was I supposed to know that was yourfoot?"Jessica glared in Bruce's direction.Twice now, Bruce had disrupted the whole thing! Shewished that Todd hadn't invited him. "Shh!"she hissed."Well, you should have looked!"Ellen complained."What's it doing under mychair, huh?" Bruce argued."Shh!"Things were going downhill fast. At least, Elizabeth'sstill out, she reassured herself. She leanedcloser to her slumbering sister. "If you haveheard me, raise your right hand," shecommanded.Elizabeth's hand shot up. Way up. And it doesn'teven look faked, Jessica told herself, wondering ifmaybe she was really on to something. Her eyesgleamed. "Put your hand down," she told hertwin. Elizabeth's hand sank slowly. Jessica turnedto Lila. We'll see who's psychic and who isn't,she thought. And I'll teach you to place bets on howsoon the Incredible Madame Jessica will mess up.She was going to enjoy this one especially."Ina past life," Jessica said in her mostsoothing voice, "you were a duck." No onespoke."A duck," Jessica repeated. "Letme hear you quack, Lila."Lila lifted her head."Quack!" she repeated dutifully.Jessica couldhardly believe her good luck. That is, her amazingtalent. She studied Lila carefully. Yup, Liladefinitely looked different from the night she'd beenpretending to be hypnotized. "Every time yousee the principal of our school, Mr. Clark,"Jessica went on, "you will remember yourinner duckness, and you will only quack." DetentionCity, here we come! Lila mumbled something under herbreath. It sounded vaguely like "Yes,master." Jessica felt a surge of power. "Who is theprincipal?""Mr. Quack," Lilareplied.Jessica smiled. "Very good! Very, very good.Now, everybody, wake up!" She snapped herfingers. Slowly, eyes opened all over the room. Kidsyawned and stretched, while Jessica watched withsweaty palms, waiting to see what wouldhappen. "See. it's just like I said," Bruce remarkednear Jessica's elbow. "Totally dorky.Hypnosis, yeah, right. Some great demonstration, huh,Elizabeth?"Jessica's pulse quickened. There wassomething weird about the way Bruce said hersister's name. She turned to locate hertwin."Whatever you say, Bruce," Elizabeth said, smilingup at Bruce. "You certainly have the mostbrilliant ideas!""Yeah, well," Brucesaid importantly. He took a step toward Elizabethand put his arm gently on her shoulder."That's just the kind of guy I am.""I know."Elizabeth's smile grew bigger. "I thinkI've--always kind of known that, Bruce."Jessicablinked in astonishment. She isn't pushing him away!she thought. If anything, Elizabeth was leaningcloser to Bruce, burrowing into his arm."Elizabeth?" she croaked, swallowing hard. Mysister? With Bruce--ahem--Patman?I'm sorry it didn'twork, Jess," Elizabeth said, gazing dreamily atBruce.Jessica could feel her jaw dropping open.She stared in astonishment as her sister reached upto stroke Bruce's cheek.; Title: The Mysterious Dr. Q (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,531 | 2 | ut SVU!Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield have always dreamed about the day they'd go off to college.They had no idea that day would come the summer after sixth grade, when they enroll in a 2-week program at Sweet Valley University!Elizabeth is thrilled to study Romantic poetry.And when she meets Ethan Williams, a totally cute teaching assistant, she has the feeling the class will be even more romantic than she thought.Jessica thinks everything about college life is perfect...except for Susan, her obnoxious roommate.Jessica wishes Susan would get lost...and she does.In fact, Susan disappears from SVU completely!"You poor thing," Mandy Miller muttered.She gave Jessica a brief hug and handed her a black-edged envelope.It was the day before Jessica and Elizabeth were to leave for their summer study course.The Unicorns were having a slumber party at Jessica's house, and Mandy was the first guest to arrive.Frowning, Jessica slit open the envelope."With Deepest Sympathy," she read, pulling out the card inside."Mandy--what is this?"Mandy didn't crack a smile."A sympathy card," she explained."Open it."A sympathy card?That's what you sent someone when they died, right? Jessica furrowed her brow and flicked the card open.There was a message printed in flowing script on the inside, along with a tasteful picture of pastel-colored roses."I don't get it," she said, scratching her head. Mandy nodded solemnly."Read the message," she suggested."I heard about your--uh, sad news."Huh? Jessica stared at her friend."That's an, um, an interesting outfit," she said, stepping back to see it better.Mandy was dressed in black from head to foot, with a black cape hanging over a black sweatsuit and a little square black hat perched precariously on her head.On anybody else, the clothes might have looked ridiculous, but Mandy had style."But--why all black?""Read the message."Mandy's face was expressionless.Jessica shrugged and looked down at the card."At this sad time in your life, know that your friends will always be with you," she read aloud.The card was signed by all the Unicorns--Lila, Mandy, Mary Wallace, Janet Howell, Ellen Riteman, and the rest."Well, we won't be with you, exactly," Mandy said, "but you'll be in our thoughts, anyway.Hey, guys?" she called behind her.Jessica blinked.All her friends stood up from behind the shrubbery and came toward the Wakefields' front door.Every one of them was wearing black too."We heard you were going off to a summer program," Mandy said, smiling for the first time, "and we thought we'd stop by to extend our deepest sympathy.""You're so lucky," Elizabeth's friend Amy Sutton said.She sat on Elizabeth's bed and swung her legs over the side.Elizabeth grinned.Amy was helping her pack for the summer program."I know it," she said.She couldn't wait to get to SVU tomorrow."I'm really, really psyched.""You'll be learning neat stuff," Amy went on, picking up a pile of unmatched socks, "and I'll be going crazy here at home.""Oh it won't be that bad," Elizabeth said.But she felt a twinge of guilt."I mean, there's the beach, and the mall, and stuff like that.""The beach and the mall," Amy said dolefully, "which will be taken over with Unicorns.Except your sister, that is."Elizabeth laughed.She had been invited to join the Unicorns once, but she had turned them down.While she liked some of them individually, she thought they were just a little too shallow when they all got together.Well, OK, a lot too shallow.Privately she and Amy called them the "Snob Squad.""You don't like hearing Janet Howell and Lila Fowler squealing all over the place?" she asked, feigning surprise."In your dreams."Amy rolled two yellow socks together and tossed them into Elizabeth's duffel bag."You'd better write me every day," she threatened.Elizabeth smiled."Every day," she promised."Unless I have, like, mega-homework.""What class are you going to take?" Amy wanted to know."I don't know yet," Elizabeth admitted."Not for sure, anyway.There are so many choices."Her copy of the course catalog was on her desk.She'd already marked six or seven classes with stars."Let's see...Cruising the Internet, or maybe What Really Happened to the Titanic?Or there's something about connecting math and art, and then there's always Romantic Poetry.""Romantic Poetry," Amy echoed, locating two blue socks.She winked at Elizabeth."Hey, that sounds pretty cool."Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow hot."Not that kind of romantic," she said defensively."Romantic with a capital R.It's a whole bunch of poets who wrote in a certain style, about specific subjects--nature and people's relationship to it, that sort of thing."Plus, they wrote about death a lot too, she reminded herself, but she decided not to say so."Remember when we read some of them in English class last year?""Not really," Amy admitted."But, you know, Elizabeth, college can be a very romantic place.Without a capital R.My parents met when they were at college.""Did they?"Elizabeth debated whether to take a green T-shirt with the names of all her fifth-grade classmates or a red one with a yogurt company's logo emblazoned across the front.Better bring the yogurt one, she decided, folding it neatly."I didn't know that.""Yeah."Amy stopped rolling socks and grinned."Mom's from Sweet Valley, right?And Dad's from Chicago.When they met each other for the first time, it was, like, this little party in some dormitory room.Mom found out that Dad was from Chicago, and she got all snotty and said that L.A. was way nicer.Dad got mad and told her that Chicago was, you know, totally cool, and L.A. was a zoo."Elizabeth scratched her head."But if that was how they met, then how--""Well, it wasn't exactly love at first sight," Amy admitted."But then they were in a logic class together the next year, and they used to go around driving all their friends crazy by proving that ham sandwiches are better than eternal happiness.Something like that anyway."She waved her hand carelessly in the air.Elizabeth raised her eyebrows."Weird," she said.It seemed like a strange start for a romance."And the rest is history!" Amy concluded.She picked up a couple more socks."So romance is in the air at college," she said meaningfully."How about you?Where did your parents meet?""They met in college too," Elizabeth admitted."At SVU.But back then it was still called the College of Southern California."She could practically recite the list of all the places that were important to them--the auditorium at the science building where they'd seen movies after dinner; the college bookstore; the coffeehouse that served enormous cookies."See?" Amy was triumphant.She put on a fake accent and chanted, "Romance is in zee air.Ro-mance ees een zee air.""Oh stop it," Elizabeth said, feeling a little embarrassed."It's only for two weeks, and anyway, I'm not going to have time for romance.I'll be too busy with my work."Amy snickered."Whatever you say, Elizabeth," she said, "but if you see some cute guy across the lecture hall, promise you'll at least catch his eye." She nudged her friend in the side.Elizabeth smiled."I promise," she said.; Title: The Twins Go to College (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,532 | 2 | ield can't believe it: Beautiful, popular Jill Hale wants to go out with him! He knows that his girlfriend, Cathy Connors, will be heartbroken, but a guy's got to play the field. After all, he once had a killer crush on Jill, and going out with her would be a dream come true. And it is...until Steven starts missing Cathy. Jill may be pretty, but she can't recite basketball stats or tell gross jokes the way Cathy can. So just in time for Valentine's Day, Steven decides to mend Cathy's broken heart--he'll take her back. She'll definitely want him back, won't she?; Title: Big Brother's in Love Again (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,533 | 7 | and Tash have come to the planet Necropolos, hoping to buy a new ship to replace the Lightrunner. Necropolos is kind of creepy--it has the biggest cemetery in the galaxy, which doesn't exactly make it much of a tourist spot. When nefarious bounty hunter Boba Fett comes into town, claiming that people he has killed in Necropolos have come back to life, Zak and Tash know something very weird is going on. Zak accepts a dare to go into the Necropolos cemetery at midnight. But maybe he should have thought twice. Just because the bodies are buried, that doesn't mean they're dead.; Title: City of the Dead (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear #2) | [
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23,534 | 2 | can't believe it. Her father is selling Fowler Mansion! That's the house she's lived in her whole life. And to make matters worse, Rachel Grant, the snobbiest, nastiest girl in the world, is moving into her room. In fact, she's already begun redecorating. (As if her tastes could possibly compete with Lila's, Lila sniffs.)Well, Rachel may think she's the hottest thing to hit Sweet Valley, but Lila knows she's hiding something. She's going to get the dirt on Rachel and prove she's no rival. After all, a Unicorn is good at two things: gossip and revenge.; Title: RACHEL'S IN, LILA'S OUT (UNICORN CLUB #18) | [
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23,535 | 7 | ar Wars universe....Zak and Tash Arranda, and their guardian, Uncle Hoole, have landed on the planet D'vouran. Nothing seems out of the ordinary at first. D'vouran is a beautiful planet, rich in natural resources and inhabited by friendly, hospitable creatures. And meeting the famous Rebels Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker in the local cantina is very cool. But something about the planet is not quite right. People seem to be disappearing into thin air. Can Tash find the courage to trust her gut instincts...before it's too late?; Title: Eaten Alive (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 1) | [
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23,536 | 2 | n, fun, and parties--what could be more perfect? Having a boyfriend, thinks Ellen Riteman. She's the only Unicorn who doesn't have one. But she's lucky for two reasons. Curtis Bowman--the cutest boy ever--happens to be on board. And the Unicorns are giving her a makeover to help her snag him. But when Lila Fowler points out that Ellen's Mr. Right is Jared Matthew, not Curtis, Ellen feels lucky to have a friend like Lila to steer her in the right direction. Then Jessica Wakefield informs them that Ellen belongs with Sam Sloane. Ellen doesn't know what to think...except that this cruise is going to be pretty crazy!; Title: BON VOYAGE, UNICORNS! (UNICORN CLUB #16) | [
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23,537 | 2 | Book by Lowell, Melissa; Title: Double Dare (Silver Blades) | [
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23,538 | 2 | Jessica Wakefield and her twin sister, Elizabeth, have persuaded their parents to get three-way calling for their phone. Jessica is psyched--more gossiping, more matchmaking, more fun! There's just one problem. Jessica didn't read the directions carefully, and when she thinks she's dishing gossip to Lisa Fowler, she's also dishing it to Ellen Riteman. And the gossip is about Ellen! The gossip spreads until the entire Unicorn Club in an all-out gossip war! Can Jessica turn her telephone tricks around and win her friends back?field and her twin sister, Elizabeth, have persuaded their parents to get three-way calling for their phone.Jessica is psyched--more gossiping, more matchmaking, more fun!There's just one problem.Jessica didn't read the directions carefully, and when she thinks she's dishing gossip to Lisa Fowler, she's also dishing it to Ellen Riteman.And the gossip is about Ellen!The gossip spreads until the entire Unicorn Club in an all-out gossip war!Can Jessica turn her telephone tricks around and win her friends back?; Title: GOSSIP WAR, THE (SVT80) (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,539 | 21 | ong will have to quit figure skating! Her parents say her skating lessons are too expensive. But then Isabel Hart shows up.Isabel wants to sponsor Amber--she'll pay for all her lessons and even buy her a new skating wardrobe! Isabel promises Amber that together they'll make her into a winner. Amber is really happy, until she discovers the horrifying truth. Isabel will do anything--including bribing the judges--to help Amber get ahead. Now Amber must decide how important winning really is!; Title: The Only Way to Win (Silver Blades, No. 20) | [
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23,540 | 21 | lle, Tori, and Jill are four talented skaters who share one special dream--competing in the Olympics someday. And they're going to try to make it all happen in Silver Blade, the best skating club around.It's a dream come true! Jill's going to the famous figure-skating center in Colorado. But the training is much tougher than Jill ever expected, and Kevin, a really cute skater at the school, has a plan that's sure to get her into big trouble. Could this be the end of Jill's skating career?; Title: Going for the Gold (Silver Blades) | [
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23,541 | 7 | ecides to visit the planet Gobindi, even a warning from Tash's anonymous Holonet contact isn't enough to change his mind. He's determined to study the planet's ancient ruins. For Tash, it's a chance to discover what her mysterious uncle is really up to.<br><br><br><br>On Gobindi, Tash hears rumors of a secret Imperial base and a plot to spread a terrible virus across the galaxy. But when Hoole assures her that nothing is wrong, Tash is relieved. For a little while.<br><br><br><br>When a big brown bump appears on her arm, Tash is terrified. Has Hoole lied to her? Is he working with the Empire? Tash knows she must discover the truth. Meanwhile, the bump on her arm has moved. And it's growing bigger.; Title: Planet Plague (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 3) | [
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23,542 | 2 | Day at SVMS has everyone seeing red!It's Valentine's Day and Sweet Valley is being treated to the dance of the decade, courtesy of Young Love, the hottest dating game show on TV.But although the music is cool and the decorations are great, the couples at the dance are totally bizarre.Jessica Wakefield and her identical twin, Elizabeth, switched identities for the dating game.Now Jessica's trapped in a date with her sister's sort-of-boyfriend, Todd Wilkins, who doesn't even suspect that he's with the wrong girl!Janet Howell is stuck with super geek Donald Zwerling, thanks to Young Love.Maria Slater is actually psyched to be with Patrick Morris, but he only has eyes for Sophia Rizzo.Everyone's with the wrong partner!Can they find true romance before this night to remember becomes a night to forget?"Donald Nerdling!" Ms. Sylvester boomed out. "And Janet Howl! Owooooo!"Maria Slater stifled a laugh. She suspected that Ms. Sylvester was mangling the names on purpose. But "Janet Howl"--that one was pretty good. Smiling broadly, Maria looked around for her own partner, Patrick Morris. She hoped they'd be called next. She was totally psyched for this trip and for the dance that night!Donald Zwerdling beamed up at Janet from beneath his red hair. He offered Janet his arm, but she elbowed him rudely out of the way. With an angry glare on her face, she stalked over to Ms. Sylvester. "I'm Janet," she snapped."I will never understand how those two ended up together," Amy Sutton muttered to Maria."Poor Donald," Maria muttered back. Janet Howell, an eighth grader who was president of the Unicorn Club, was not exactly one of her favorite people. Ever since Maria had moved to Sweet Valley a few months earlier from Hollywood, where she'd been a child actress, her path had crossed Janet's more times than she cared to remember. Nobody deserved to get stuck spending a whole day with Janet. "It's too bad that Donald has to put up with her," she remarked as Donald joined Janet at the table."Really," Amy agreed, wiping her long straight hair away from her face. "I knew I should have worn a headband! Actually, I'd trade partners with Janet in a minute, even if Donald is kind of a dweeb. Donald's smart.And polite. Meanwhile, I get stuck with Aaron Dallas." She rolled her eyes."Zwerdling," Donald told Ms. Sylvester. "Z-WE-R . . .""I know what you mean," Maria agreed sympathetically. Too often Aaron was goofy, loud, or just plain rude, although he meant well.Amy grimaced. "The first thing he said to me today was, 'Hey, Ame!'" Amy dropped her voice almost an octave in imitation of Aaron. "'Ready to hit the Tunnel of Loooooove?' Then he made these smooching noises, and everybody laughed...." Her voice trailed off. "Even Ken."Ken Matthews was Amy's sort-of boyfriend. Maria wrinkled her nose. "That's tough," she said."Zwerdling," Donald told Ms. Sylvester. "With a Z.As in zirconium."Amy shrugged. "I guess boys will be boys. Or Aarons will be Aarons, anyway." She shook her head. "Then he said he was going to buy five cotton candies, eat them one right after the other, and ride the roller coaster till he threw up.""A thrill a minute," Maria observed. "If I live to be a hundred, I'll never understand guys.""You're not kidding," Amy said with a sigh. "I thought about not going, but then the whole school wouldn't get to have the dance. Although I'm really worried about having to spend the day with him and be his date to the dance." She wrapped a lock of hair around her finger. "Actually, he didn't want to go with me either. He said he wanted to go with Jessica, or Janet or Ellen or somebody. I was his fifty-third choice.""He told you that?" Maria was shocked."Sure." Amy managed a grin. "So I told him he was my eighty-fifth choice, and he got mad. Oh, we're going to have a great time." She took a deep breath. "So--are you psyched to be going with Patrick?"Maria nodded vigorously. "Yeah, it's going to be really cool." She remembered the excitement she'd felt back in the Young Love studios when Patrick had called out her number to be his mystery dream date. "It's not that I've got a crush on him or anything," she added quickly. "It's just that--""You'd better not," Amy teased, "if you want to stay friends with Sophia.""Zwerdling," Donald was still saying desperately. Janet's eyes flashed and she turned away from the table in disgust. "Z as in Zwerdling. W as in Zwerdling. E as in Zwerdling--"Maria grinned. Sophia Rizzo was one of her closest friends, and she knew very well that Sophia and Patrick were sort of an item. "It's just that Patrick's such a nice guy," she said. "And popular." She pictured Patrick in her mind. Blue eyes, curly hair, a really nice smile . . ."Uh-huh," Amy said dryly. "Since when do you care about popular?"Maria stroked her chin. "It's hard to explain," she said slowly. "I guess . . . it has to do with being new. Because I just moved to Sweet Valley and everything." She thought hard. "Being friends with you and Sophia and Elizabeth has been great, but sometimes I wonder about the other kids. You know--if they like me only because I was once a movie star.""Oh, Zwerdling!" Ms. Sylvester finally bellowed. "Why didn't you say so? Sign on the dotted line." She shoved a piece of paper at Donald, who rolled his eyes."We're probably next," Amy said in a flat voice."I guess I feel like being picked by Patrick means I really belong," Maria went on. "Patrick didn't know it was me behind that curtain. He didn't like me because I used to be in the movies. He wasn't worried that I was a selfish, spoiled brat, the way some kids did. He liked me for . . . well, for me.""Who's next?" Ms. Sylvester shouted as Donald trotted after Janet to board the van. "Aha! Amy Shudder and Aaron Dullest!"Amy threw Maria a pained look. "Wish me luck. I'm going to need it.""Luck!" Maria called after her friend. Aaron Dullest, she thought, and smiled. That one was pretty good too.It was actually kind of weird, the way the other couples weren't looking forward to this trip. Aaron and Amy weren't getting along. Janet hated Donald's guts. Even Elizabeth seemed to be tired of Todd already. Maria stifled a giggle as she thought about how they would all look at the Valentine's Day dance that night.But Maria was another story. Being picked by Patrick, sight unseen, had made her day. For the first time since she'd come to Sweet Valley, she felt as though she truly belonged.This was going to be the best day of the year.; Title: The Boyfriend Mess (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,543 | 7 | World. It's a theme park visited by families from all across the galaxy. It's a place where Tash and Zak can safely hang out while Hoole continues his work. It's a place where daytime fun turns into nighttime terror.<br><br><br><br>One of the park's attractions is called the Nightmare Machine. It scans your brain, then shows you your worst fears in holographic form. Hairy, creepy-crawly insects. Cyborrean battle dogs thirsting for blood. But it's not real, so it's fun--right?<br><br><br><br>Wrong. <br><br><br><br>As Zak and Tash will soon find out, nightmares can come true.; Title: The Nightmare Machine (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 4) | [
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23,544 | 2 | <b>Jessica...on a track team?</b><br><br>From the minute Bethel saw Jessica Wakefield she thought, no way.No way was that girl going to make it on the track team.Pretty Jessica wouldn't want to mess up her perfect hair, much less get all sweaty and smelly running every day.She was way wrong.JessicaWhy did I come here? I wonder as I wandered around the Red Bird Mall. It isn't cheering me up.I had come to the mall to participate in my favorite hobby--shopping. Usually nothing makes me happier. But not this time. First of all, I had no money. Second of all, I was by myself.How loserish can you get?As I walked the circle around the edge of the food court, I noticed a group of boys standing in front of Chip's Chocolate Chips, munching cookies. Two of the four guys were pretty cute. If I weren't by myself, I would have smiled at them.But right now, I was just grateful those guys didn't know who I was. That's why I came to the Red Bird Mall instead of going to the Valley Mall, which is closer to my house. If I ran into anybody from my old school while I was pathetically window shopping by myself, I would positively die. The fact is, last year I used to rule the school. Sweet Valley Middle School was my domain, and I was, like, the queen of everything I looked at or whatever.Anyway, so now I was at a new school, where I was not the queen. My twin, Elizabeth, and I transferred to Sweet Valley Junior High at the beginning of the year, and I am not exaggerating when I say that my new school is worse than a torture chamber filled with blood-sucking trolls.I love it there, as you can tell.I stared at my reflection in the shiny food court sign. Was I different this year or something? Was that why I wasn't popular? I didn't look any different. But maybe other people could see things I couldn't."What are you looking at?" I growled at myself, then spun around--and came face-to-face with Lacey Frells. I had to stop myself from groaning.Lacey was the coolest girl at Sweet Valley Junior High--the coolest girl in the world, maybe. And she didn't like me. About a week ago I told her this little white lie that she totally blew out of proportion, and then she decided I was a dork. I won't go into what the lie was. That's a whole other story.The important thing is that I never managed to impress her and thus never managed to make it into the cool crowd at SVJH. And thus I was now shopping alone and talking to myself like a lame loser freak."Hello, Jessica," Lacey said levelly, running one hand through her sleek sun-streaked brown hair. Her other hand stretched back behind her, anchored by a little girl with blond curls."Hi." I tried to smile. Why was she talking to me? I never thought she'd want to speak to me again after last week. "What are you doing here?" It was an idiotic question, but I couldn't think of anything better.Lacey shrugged. "I'm baby-sitting my half sister, Penelope." She flicked her head back in the direction of the girl, who looked about three years old. "Lucky me."Penelope's round blue eyes were swollen with tears, and her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. She clung to a white stuffed rabbit."Hi, Penelope," I said. "I'm Jessica." I pointed to the stuffed animal. "What's your rabbit's name?" I asked."Bunny.""Bunny." I grinned. "Well, that's easy to remember."Penelope smiled back at me. She seemed sweet.I looked back at Lacey. So, was I, like, supposed to make conversation with her? I racked my brain to come up with something to say, but luckily I didn't have to."Hey--Lacey!" someone called. Lacey stiffened.I followed her gaze and saw two supercool girls walking toward us. They looked about three years older than us. I wondered who they were.Lacey cast a nervous glance at Penelope, then seemed to recover. As the girls approached, Lacey casually dropped her sister's hand, then closed and opened her eyes slowly, her dark lashes sweeping down over her cheeks. I'd never met anyone who could blink as cool as her."Hi, Cameron," she said to one of the girls--the taller one with short, spiky black hair. "Hey, Dakota."Dakota's head was covered in tiny dreads, and she wore wire-rimmed glasses. "Who's this?" she asked, eyeing me."This is Jessica," Lacey said finally, "a girl from school."A girl from school? Well, at least she didn't say, "This is Jessica, the biggest loser I've ever met," I decided. Would Lacey ever say something like, "This is Jessica, my friend"? If only. Being friends with Lacey would solve a lot of my problems. "Hi," I said to Cameron and Dakota.Out of the comer of my eye I noticed that the four cute guys I had spotted before were staring at our group of girls. I wasn't surprised. Lacey and her two friends were totally gorgeous and way, way, cool. I slouched a little bit, trying to look like I belonged with this group.One of the guys--I didn't see which--tossed a small foil ball over our heads, which landed just in front of our feet.Penelope picked up the ball."Brat!" Lacey muttered to Penelope between her teeth.Cameron grinned, and Dakota gave a little chuckle."It's no big deal," I said quietly to Lacey. I knew Penelope didn't mean to be a problem. As for the guys, they were just trying to get us to notice them.Penelope tossed the ball back to the boys. They laughed, then threw two more balls of foil, which landed in front of us."I'm glad I'm past that stage," Dakota said."It's so junior high," Lacey agreed.Well, you and I are in junior high, I thought, but I didn't say anything. Then one of the guys--a dark-haired boy in huge athletic shoes sprinted ahead--swooped by us, and snatched Penelope's stuffed rabbit.Penelope let out an incredible howl. Everyone in the food court fumed around. The howl became heavy sobs."Give it back," I said without even thinking. "Give back her rabbit."Cameron and Dakota looked at each other."Later, Lacey," Cameron said, and the two of them walked away quickly."Later," Lacey replied. She sounded furious. I guess she didn't want to look like a nerd in front of her cool friends any more than I wanted to look like a nerd in front of her.The four guys grinned at one another. I couldn't believe they weren't giving back the rabbit--couldn't they see how upset Penelope was? Well, fine. I would just take it back. But as I reached for Bunny, the dark-haired boy who had grabbed the toy quickly tossed it to the boy wearing the Giants shirt. Lacey took Penelope's hand, walked over to a table, and sat down. Lacey was shaking her head and saying something under her breath. Why isn't she standing up to them? I wondered."Do you think stealing a little kid's rabbit is cool or something?" I asked the dark-haired guy.In response, the blond boy held the toy out to me. My fingers were just closing around it when he snatched it away and took off. Penelope shrieked."Don't worry, I'll get it back," I called to Penelope. I ran after the guy.He raced through the crowd, dodging left and right. So did I. People stepped out of his way, then out of mine. "Go get him, girl," some old lady yelled.The boy took a sharp turn at the fountain. Closer still. I could hear his friends running after us.This is so lame, I thought. I can't believe I'm doing this. Lacey's never going to speak to me again. At least Cameron and Dakota weren't around to see me chasing after Bunny--I would have been mortified. But I don't give up on something once I've started it. I hate to lose.At the far side of the fountain I reached out--in one second that boy was dead meat. "Heads up!" he hollered, and tried to toss Bunny over the water to his friends. He missed.Splash!Bunny belly-flopped into the fountain. The four guys and I stared at it for a moment, floating facedown among the plastic lily pads. Then they all cracked up. Some other people standing around the fountain laughed with them. I was so mad that I couldn't even move. I saw a long arm reach in and fish Bunny out of the water.I stared at the soggy rabbit, which was now Ty-D-Bol blue. Gross."Finders keepers, Damon," the dark-haired boy joked. "It's yours now."I looked up--right into the eyes of Damon Ross.My stomach flipped over.Damon was possibly the cutest guy at school and my personal hero. He had recently rescued me from two jerks who were teasing me at my locker."I think you're going to have to get another rabbit," he said.I could feel strands of my hair sticking to my face. My cheeks were hot and probably red. "It's not mine.""Oh," was all he said as he wrung out the toy. I guessed he'd been sitting on the edge of the fountain, eating, because he picked up a napkin from beneath a plate of hamburger and gently blotted the rabbit.Damon sure had a way of showing up in the middle of my uncoolest moments. The day he rescued me at my locker, he had thought he was standing up for Elizabeth. Did he think he was helping out my twin again?He held the rabbit by its ears and handed it to me, smiling a little."Thanks. And just so you know, I'm Jessica," I said, "not Elizabeth.""I figured," he replied, then sat down to finish his burger.What did that mean? I wondered as I headed back to the food court to find Lacey.For a moment I was afraid she had cleared out of there, not wanting to be seen with the kind of loser who would chase a rabbit through the mall. But I found her sitting at the table, Penelope across from her. The little girl held up her arms when she saw me with the rabbit. Her eyes got wider. "He's blue!""It's t...; Title: Soulmates (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
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23,545 | 2 | pal Clark is hiding something...When Jessica Wakefield started a house-sitting service with her twin sister, Elizabeth, she never imagined their first client would be Mr. Clark, the school principal. Elizabeth is nervous, but Jessica is psyched. She wants some juicy gossip about Mr. Clark's private life, and snooping around his house will be a great way to find it.But Jessica finds more than she bargained for: a butcher knife in the hall closet, and a long lock of hair in the dresser. Then, in the cobwebs of Mr. Clark's dark, damp basement, something makes Jessica's heart stand still. Could her principal be a murderer?Elizabeth's heart pounded.It was Tuesday morning and she was sitting outside the principal's office.She didn't really think she was in trouble for anything, but Mr. Clark had called her down right in the middle of English class.What in the world could he possibly want? she wondered."OK, Elizabeth."Mr. Clark's secretary, Mrs. Knight, smiled at her."You can go in now.""Thanks."Elizabeth rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans and stood up.She walked over to Mr. Clark's office on shaky legs and knocked."Come in," said a voice from behind the door.Elizabeth opened the door.Mr. Clark stood in front of his filing cabinet, rifling through some folders."I understand you and your sister are running a house-sitting service," he said without even looking at Elizabeth."Uh, yeah," she admitted, closing the door behind her.She bit her lip.Is that what this is about?"W-W-Were we supposed to ask permission before hanging up our signs at school?" she asked nervously.She and Jessica had hung one of their flyers in the teachers' lounge, thinking one of their teachers might hire them."No, no, no, nothing like that," Mr. Clark assured her.He slammed his file drawer closed and returned to his desk.He pulled open his middle drawer and looked inside."It's just that I've suddenly been called out of town.I'm leaving in a few minutes.But before I go, I need to find someone to look after my house.""Oh!" Elizabeth cried, standing up a little straighter.Mr. Clark finally looked at her."Now, just a minute," he said, fixing her with a serious stare."I'm sure you'd do a fine job, Elizabeth.But, well . . . to tell you the truth, I'm a little nervous about your sister.She's . . ."He seemed to be searching for just the right word."She's not the most responsible student here at Sweet Valley Middle School.""Oh, Jessica's responsible," Elizabeth assured him."Really, she is.There was this time she . . ."Elizabeth racked her brain, trying to think of something Jessica had done recently to show she was responsible.Something.Anything!"Yes?" Mr. Clark prompted her."Uh, she fixed our neighbor's flowers last week!"That sounded good, didn't it?Elizabeth figured it did as long as she didn't mention the part about Jessica's having to fix the flowers because she had sort of biked through them, smashing them, when she rounded the corner too fast.They had to get this job!If they could get one job, then maybe they could get more."Yes, well, responsibility aside, my main concern is, will she follow my directions?"Mr. Clark asked, slamming his middle drawer closed and opening a drawer to his right.He was obviously more interested in finding whatever it was he was looking for than in hearing examples of Jessica's responsibility."Jessica's good at following directions," Elizabeth assured him."If you tell her to do something, she'll do it."Or at least, I'll do it, Elizabeth thought.Just please give us the job!Mr. Clark frowned.Apparently whatever it was he was looking for wasn't in that drawer either.He tried another drawer below it."What about parties?"he asked, rummaging through one of the bottom drawers.All Elizabeth could see of him was the bald spot on his head."Uh, what about them?"she asked tentatively.Mr. Clark slammed the drawer closed and looked at Elizabeth."Can I trust you girls not to have a party in my house while I'm away?"Elizabeth looked shocked."Of course not!I mean, of course we won't.You can trust us, Mr. Clark!"Mr.Clark scratched the bald spot on his head and sighed."Well, it's not like I have much choice."He checked the digital clock on his desk, then slapped his hand to his head."I should've left five minutes ago."He stood up abruptly and grabbed his jacket from the coat tree near the door."Let's see . . . the key!You need a key."Mr. Clark felt his shirt and pants pockets."Where did I leave my keys?"Elizabeth had never seen Mr. Clark look so flustered before.He was usually so . . . together.Mr. Clark found his keys in one of his jacket pockets.He took a blue key off the ring and handed it to Elizabeth."Just follow University Avenue until you get to Mercury Drive.There's a small church on the corner.My house is right next door.This key unlocks the front door."He glanced at the other keys on the ring."I guess that's the only key you need," he said, putting the other keys into his pants pocket."I'll want you to feed the fish, water the plants, bring in the mail, and pick up the paper every day.Can you start this afternoon?"He looked questioningly at Elizabeth as he slipped his arm into his jacket."Sure."She nodded."We can do that."She followed him out to the main office."How long are you going to be gone, Mr.Clark?"A telephone rang, and Mrs. Knight picked it up."Sweet Valley Middle School . . .""I don't know," Mr. Clark said absently."Just keep coming until I'm back at school.Now, is there anything else?Fish, newspaper, mail, plants," he muttered to himself."Oh!The basement!"he cried, raising his finger in the air."Don't go down there!It's . . . not safe.""Sure," Elizabeth said.She couldn't imagine why she and Jessica would go down in Mr. Clark's basement anyway."Don't worry about anything, Mr. Clark.Jessica and I will take care of everything."But Mr. Clark was already out the door.; Title: Don't Go in the Basement (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,546 | 2 | eth be cooler than Jessica?Elizabeth loves Halloween, and this year she designs some cool jack-o'-lantern earrings just for fun.Her twin sister, Jessica, tells her the earrings are dorky.But at school, the earrings turn out to be a hit--even among Jessica's friends in the exclusive Unicorn Club!Jessica can't let her friends forget that she is the twin with fashion sense.She tells everyone the pumpkin design is hers.And when she starts selling her spooky earrings to her friends and classmates, everyone is so impressed, Jessica's certain she'll be elected Sweet Valley Middle School Queen of Halloween.But Elizabeth knows Jessica's pumpkin popularity is built on a lie.How will she prove she's the real designer ...and that Jessica's a cheap imitation?Jessica was frowning a little when she stopped in the bathroom before lunch that day to comb her hair.Inside, she found Mandy applying lip gloss at one sink and Elizabeth washing her hands at another. "I can't believe no one has voted for me yet!" Jessica exclaimed before she could stop herself.She was glad none of the Unicorns besides Mandy were there.Even though they were her best friends, Jessica knew they would make fun of her if they found out what was happening.But she knew she could count on Mandy and Elizabeth to be sympathetic."What are you talking about?" Elizabeth asked, looking up as she grabbed a paper towel to dry her hands."I commissioned a jack-o'-lantern for you first thing this morning."Jessica shrugged."I know, Lizzie," she said with a sigh.Count on her twin to be so literal."But that doesn't really count.You're my sister--you have to vote for me.""I didn't do it because I have to, I did it because I want to," Elizabeth protested."Isn't that why you voted for me?"Jessica bit her lip, feeling a little guilty.Elizabeth had two votes already.Obviously she assumed that one of them was from Jessica.But the truth was, Jessica hadn't voted for her sister."Um, of course," she said."But you know what I mean.It's one thing for your own family to vote for you, but if I want to win that crown, one measly vote from you isn't going to do it.And nobody deserves to be Queen of Halloween more than I do.What's wrong with this school?Where are all my other votes?"Mandy put the cap back on her lip gloss and gave Jessica a sympathetic look."I know what you mean," she said."I only have one vote so far too.But don't worry.The soccer team is totally backlogged right now with all the orders they're getting for jack-o'-lanterns.Maybe lots of people have already voted for you and the boys just haven't had a chance to carve your jack-o'-lanterns yet."Jessica shook her head."Nope, I checked with Denny," she said, pulling her hairbrush out of her purse.She examined her reflection in the mirror thoughtfully."Still, maybe you have a point, Mandy," she mused."I bet a lot of people are waiting until the first rush is over before they start voting.Right now the votes are mostly people voting for their own boyfriends or girlfriends.Or their sisters," she added quickly.Although obviously someone else is voting for Elizabeth, she thought with a small twinge of irritation.Todd had probably commissioned one of the two jack-o'-lanterns.But if Jessica hadn't cast the second vote for her twin, who had?"I'm sure that's it," Elizabeth said in a comforting voice, heading for the door."You'll have plenty of votes soon enough, Jess.See you guys later."Jessica watched her twin leave, still feeling a little annoyed.Was it her imagination, or had Elizabeth's voice been just a tiny bit condescending when she'd said that?Just because she had two votes already, did she think she actually had a chance to beat Jessica in the contest?"No way," she murmured."What did you say?" Mandy asked.She was leaning against the wall waiting for Jessica to finish brushing her hair."Never mind," Jessica said."It doesn't matter.Once the voting really gets started, I'll have tons more jack-o'-lanterns than anybody."Including Elizabeth, she added to herself with a smile.She was getting worked up about nothing.Things might be a little slow right now, but she would catch up soon.Elizabeth might as well enjoy her moment of glory while she had it."Of course you will," Mandy said.She glanced around to make sure they were alone."If you want, I'll vote for you, Jessica," she offered quietly."Just don't tell the rest of the Unicorns, OK?I don't have enough allowance left to buy jack-o'-lanterns for all of them."Jessica smiled at her own reflection in the mirror.Then she dropped her brush back in her purse and spun around."Thanks, but no thanks, Mandy," she said confidently."I don't need to beg my friends to vote for me.Once the boys start voting, I'll have more than enough jack-o'-lanterns to win by a landslide."; Title: Pumpkin Fever (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,547 | 2 | can be right allthe time. . .ElizabethWakefield's new advice column is the rage at SweetValley Middle School. Not only is "DearElizabeth" the most popular column inSixershistory, letters are pouring in bythehundreds!At first, Elizabeth is thrilled by her success.But then she starts to worry. Her friends expectmiracle cures for every problem . . . and she'srunning out of answersSoon her advice is causingproblems instead of solving them! Now Elizabeth'sthe one who needs help. How can she get out ofthis mess?; Title: Elizabeth Solves It All (Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley Twins #103) | [
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23,548 | 2 | n love and war in part one of a special two-book Valentine's Day miniseries.Sweet Valley Middle School is celebrating Valentine's Day by hosting a TV game show!The contestants choose their dream dates by asking funny and personal questions--in front of their classmates and a TV audience.The winners get a free trip to an amusement park, and the entire school will be treated to the coolest Valentine's Day dance ever.Jessica Wakefield can't wait to be a contestant-- and can't believe it when her twin sister, Elizabeth, is chosen instead.Is it time for another twin switch?Sophia Rizzo and Patrick Morris decide to cheat so they can end up together.And Janet Howell is busy dreaming of her perfect guy.But everyone's plans backfire big time!Will the dating game be a dating disaster?Elizabeth hadn't known Donald very well before asking for his help on the newspaper. She had always thought of Donald as quiet, serious, and shy--what her twin sister Jessica would call a real nerd. But once she got to know him, Elizabeth had realized that Donald was an interesting person with a lot to say.Still, Elizabeth thought, he's definitely no Todd. She glanced quickly at the other boy in the room, Todd Wilkins. She liked to think of Todd as her sort-of boyfriend. They had gone to a few dances and parties together, and not long ago the two had shared their first real kiss."Okay, okay," said Sophia Rizzo, another member of the Sixers staff and one of Elizabeth's closest friends. "We all agree it's a nice picture, Donald. Never has a bunch of gym lockers looked so beautiful. But let's hurry up, okay? You and I were supposed to be at the Science Club meeting a half hour ago." She nodded toward Todd. "And we all know Elizabeth is late for a very important date too."Elizabeth felt herself blush at Sophia's comment. It still felt a little strange to hear someone use the word date. After all, Elizabeth and Todd were just going to Casey's Place, a local ice-cream parlor, for an afterschool snack. She wasn't sure, but she thought Todd looked a little embarrassed by what Sophia had said too. He slouched down a little lower in the chair near the door, where he sat waiting for her to finish."All right," Elizabeth said, making her voice as businesslike as possible to cover her embarrassment. "I think we're almost finished here. Does everyone have an assignment for the next issue?""Yeah, and they're really thrilling." Amy rolled her eyes. "If anything can be more exciting than this week's lead story about new lockers, it will be my masterpiece next week about the janitors' spring cleaning plans.""Right," Sophia agreed. "Or mine on the changes in the cafeteria menu."Todd and Donald laughed. "I can't wait to read that issue," Todd joked. "Save me an extra copy for my scrapbook."Elizabeth grinned. "Okay, so there's not much happening around school these days," she said. "At least Valentine's Day is coming up in a couple of weeks. Maybe that will give us something to write about. In the meantime Donald has promised to take some pictures of the sports teams. We could do a feature on one of the teams for next week's lead story.""That sounds good," Amy said. "I could write a story to go along with Donald's pictures." Amy was very athletic and often wrote sports stories for the Sixers."Or maybe we should take Lila Fowler up on her offer," Sophia said with a laugh. "She did volunteer to write a story about her trip to Dizzy Planet--as long as we promised to put it on the front page."Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Lila Fowler came from one of the wealthiest families in Sweet Valley, and she never let anyone forget it. She had been the first person in school to visit Dizzy Planet, the brand-new theme park that everyone in California was talking about. "It's not as if there's anyone left in the school who hasn't already heard that piece of news," Elizabeth said. "Lila hasn't stopped bragging about her trip since she got back." Elizabeth and Lila weren't very close, even though the wealthy girl was one of Elizabeth's twin sister's best friends."Actually, she started bragging about the trip before she even left," Todd said with a chuckle.Elizabeth laughed, then stood and started straightening up the area where they had been working. "I guess that's it for today," she said. "We can all keep thinking about new story ideas for next week. Maybe one of us will come up with something more exciting than--"Her next words were lost as the door swung open with a bang and her twin sister, Jessica, burst into the room."Stop the press!" Jessica exclaimed. "I just heard some fantastic news!""What is it, Jessica?" Amy asked drily. "Did one of the Unicorns get a new perm?" Jessica was a member of the exclusive Unicorn Club, a group of the prettiest and most popular girls at Sweet Valley Middle School.Jessica ignored Amy and grabbed Elizabeth by the shoulder. "I'm serious, Lizzie," she said breathlessly. "This is huge. I just heard about it in detention.""You had detention again today?" Elizabeth said with concern. "What did you do this time?""What? Oh--who cares about that?" Jessica asked impatiently. "The important thing is what I heard."Elizabeth sighed. It never ceased to amaze her that her twin could be so casual about something like detention. Elizabeth herself could hardly imagine serving detention, but Jessica usually managed to rack up at least one or two detention slips per month. It was just one of many ways in which the twins were very different.Jessica and Elizabeth looked almost exactly the same on the outside. They both had long blond hair and sparkling blue-green eyes. When they dressed alike, even members of their own family sometimes had trouble telling the two girls apart. But nobody who knew them ever confused their personalities.Elizabeth was the more serious, studious, and reliable twin. She loved school and did well in all her classes. When she wasn't working on her homework or a story for the next issue of the Sixers, she could usually be found reading a mystery novel or spending time with a few close friends.Jessica's closest friends were the other members of the Unicorn Club. She liked shopping, gossiping, and talking about boys much more than reading or doing homework. And she especially liked to be the first one to hear about a juicy piece of news."Okay, I give up," Elizabeth said. "What's your big scoop?"Jessica perched on the edge of the table, accidentally knocking the front-page layout to the floor. "Get this," she said. "We may all get to be contestants on Young Love!"Amy had bent to retrieve the layout, but she stood up quickly at Jessica's words. "Young Love?" she said. "You mean that teen dating show on TV?"Jessica nodded and crossed her arms on her chest, looking smug. "That's the one," she said. "I accidentally overheard Mr. Edwards talking to someone on the phone about it." Mr. Edwards, the vice principal, often supervised detention after school."What exactly did you hear?" Sophia asked.Jessica shrugged. "Well, not that much actually. I don't have all the specific details yet. But I definitely heard him say that Young Love is looking for a middle school in this area to be featured on the show.""Wow," Sophia said. "It would be so cool if they picked us!"; Title: The Boyfriend Game (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,549 | 2 | he Mother's Day blues...When Lila Fowler hears about the Sweet Valley Middle School spring fashion show, she knows she's got to be one of the models.After all, not only is she one of the most beautiful girls in school, she also has the most fabulous wardrobe!There's only one problem:it's a mother-daughter fashion show, and Lila's mother lives in France.She hasn't seen her in years.Lila doesn't have her mother's most recent address or phone number--there's no way to contact her.So Lila has to think of something fast.If her mother can't be in the fashion show, maybe someone else could pretend to be her mother.But who?Lila glanced forward at Mr. Bowman. He was gazing at Jessica, nodding thoughtfully as she droned on and on. When she was sure the teacher wouldn't notice, Lila cautiously leaned forward and grabbed the newspaper out of Caroline's bag. Then she settled back and opened it flat on her desk, shielding it from the teacher's view with her copy of Of Mice and Men, the book she had been assigned for her own report.She scanned the first page quickly. As usual, it was filled with boring news about boring things. The Chess Club had won a match against a nearby school. The school's maintenance staff was planning to paint the lockers this summer. The Cuisine Arts Club would be raising money by selling special Mother's Day cookies all next week. One of the eighth-grade teachers was getting married. Lila grimaced. This stuff was even more deadly than Jessica's report.Then a headline near the bottom of the page caught her eye: "Sweet Valley Middle School Will Host Fashionable Fund-raiser."Lila brightened. Fashionable? Now that sounded interesting. She read on: The Sweet Valley Women's Shelter needs our help! The shelter will be holding its first annual fund-raising fashion show at Sweet Valley Middle School this year, and it needs twenty middle-school models.Lila paused to think about that. Twenty students would get to model in a real fashion show! It sounded incredibly exciting and glamorous. Lila smoothed back her long, shiny brown hair and smiled, picturing herself sauntering down a runway dressed in the latest fashions. Then she returned her attention to the article. She skipped a long, boring paragraph about the goals and needs of the women's shelter and soon found what she was looking for: There will be a sign-up sheet outside the school's main office on Thursday for all interested girls and--"Well?" A voice interrupted Lila's reading. "What did you think?"Lila looked up at Jessica, who had just taken her seat across the aisle. Lila had been so engrossed in her fantasies that she hadn't noticed that her friend had finally finished her book report. "Oh, it was great," Lila said, moving her hand slightly to cover the story about the fund-raiser. She was pretty sure that Jessica hadn't heard about the fashion show yet, and she didn't want to be the one to clue her in--not until after Lila herself had secured one of the twenty modeling spots. "Just brilliant, if I do say so myself. After all, I wrote half of it for you."Jessica started to answer, but the bell rang. Lila jumped up and rushed for the door. A few minutes later Elizabeth Wakefield strolled down the hall with Amy Sutton. They were talking about Mother's Day, which was ten days away. "I've got to come up with some good ideas," Elizabeth said. "I really want to make Mom feel special.""I know what you mean," Amy said. "I think I'm going to get my mom some of that perfume she's always talking about.""That sounds nice," Elizabeth said. "But I want to do something for my mom this year--not just buy . . ."Her voice drifted off. The two girls were walking past the school office, and Elizabeth had spotted her twin staring dejectedly at the bulletin board."Uh-oh," she said.Amy gave her a quizzical look. "What's wrong?""I meant to tell Jessica about that fashion show," Elizabeth explained. "I figured she wouldn't get around to reading the article until it was too late to sign up. I was going to fill her in first thing this morning, but it slipped my mind."Amy rolled her eyes. "Oops," she said sarcastically. "What a tragedy." Amy was one of Elizabeth's closest friends, but she didn't have much patience for Jessica or any of the other Unicorns.Although Amy had a point--it wasn't the end of the world--Elizabeth couldn't help feeling a little guilty. She knew how much her twin loved things like fashion shows. The only reason she hadn't told her sooner was that Jessica was terrible at keeping secrets. If Elizabeth had told her about the fashion show before the paper came out, it would have been a matter of milliseconds before the entire Unicorn Club knew about it too. That wouldn't have been fair to everyone else.Elizabeth hurried to join her twin. "Hi, Jess," she said. Did you sign up?"Jessica waved a hand at the list tacked to the bulletin board. "See for yourself," she said grumpily. "I didn't even hear about the stupid fashion show until just now. By the time I got here, all the slots were filled.""Tough luck, Jessica." Amy glanced at the list and snorted. But at least you don't have to worry about the Unicorns not being represented. Half the club is signed up right at the top of the list. Janet Howell, Ellen Riteman, Tamara Chase--""Don't tell me," Jessica cut her off. "I don't even want to know who else is on the list. I'm sure to hear all about it at lunch, anyway." She scowled and waved the copy of the Sixers she was holding. "Why didn't you tell me, Lizzie?""Sorry," Elizabeth said. "I meant to. I really did." She glanced at her watch. It was almost time for their next class. "Listen, Jess," she said. "Amy and I were just talking about Mother's Day. I thought you and I should put our heads together and come up with some special stuff to do for Mom. What do you think?"Jessica shrugged. "Whatever." She crumpled up her copy of the Sixers and tossed it in a nearby trash can.Elizabeth sighed. Maybe this wasn't the best time to ask her sister to concentrate on something like Mother's Day. "Never mind," she said. "We'll talk about it later."Just as Jessica had predicted, the fashion show was the topic of choice that day at the Unicorns' favorite table in the cafeteria, which they called the Unicorner. Jessica gritted her teeth as Janet Howell gathered her shoulder-length brown hair on top of her head and posed."What do you think?" Janet asked the table at large. "Should I wear my hair up for the fashion show? Or down?"Ellen Riteman crunched on a potato chip."Definitely up," she said. "It looks much more glamorous that way." She giggled. "And since we are going to be models, glamour is what it's all about, right?"Jessica rolled her eyes. She couldn't imagine anything less glamorous than Ellen with potato-chip grease on her chin.But Janet was nodding. "Speaking of glamorous," she said, "you'll never guess which store is loaning the clothes we're going to be wearing." She smoothed her hair back into place. "Clothes Encounter."Tamara gasped. "Wow," she said, looking impressed. "That's the most expensive store in the entire mall! She straightened the purple scarf she was wearing around her neck. Each of the Unicorns tried to wear something purple, the color of royalty, every day. It was the official club color.Jessica scowled at her tuna sandwich. Things just kept getting worse. She loved the expensive designer clothes at Clothes Encounter, but she couldn't afford to buy anything there, even on sale."No kidding," Mandy said. "Nobody I know can afford even a pair of earrings there." She grinned at Lila. "Well, nobody except Lila. She practically keeps the place in business all by herself."Lila tossed her head. "True," she said airily, wiping her mouth daintily with a paper napkin. "I hope they don't give me something to wear that I already have. Maybe I should call and request something brand-new and hip to model in the fashion show"At Lila's words, a silence fell over the entire group. Jessica felt her jaw drop slightly open. She knew that most of the other Unicorns had signed up to be in the fashion show, but she hadn't noticed Lila's name on the list. Didn't Lila realize what kind of a show it was?Lila was glancing around at her friends, looking perplexed. "What?" she demanded. "Why are you all staring at me like that? Do I have a piece of lettuce in my teeth or something?"Finally Ellen spoke up. "You're going to model, Lila?""Of course," Lila replied with a shrug. "I got the very last spot--number twenty. By the way, thanks a lot for clueing me in, you guys," she added sarcastically. "I almost didn't find out in time.""But Lila," Janet began, "uh, don't you know that, um . . ."Her voice trailed off. Jessica had never seen Janet Howell speechless before, but she was at a loss for words now. And Jessica could understand why. But someone had to speak up. "It's a mother-daughter fashion show, Lila," she blurted out. "In honor of Mother's Day. And you don't have a mother!"For Lila, the next few seconds seemed to pass very, very slowly. She could feel her face turn beet red. Even her earlobes felt as though they were on fire. A mother-daughter show?Mrs. Fowler had left her family--and Sweet Valley--years ago. She still called Lila on Christmas and on Lila's birthday. Most of the time, anyway. But Lila hadn't seen her mother for so long that she hardly remembered what she looked like.Why hadn't she read that article more carefully? She had been so excited at the thought of modeling that she hadn't even noticed any mention of a Mother's Day theme. But she couldn't tell her friends that. They were all staring at her as if she were some kind of bizarre circus freak."Sorry, Lila," Jessica said. "I thought you knew." She paused. "If you want, I'll take your place in the show. We can go down to the office and do it right now."<br...; Title: Happy Mother's Day, Lila (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,550 | 2 | g Top!The circus has come to Sweet Valley! Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield love watching the shows and eating lots of cotton candy. But the most exciting part for Jessica is finding out that their great-great-grandmother Jessamyn was a bareback rider in the circus! Jessica imagines herself in Jessamyn's place -- on a beautiful pony,wearing a fancy costume and showing off in the spotlight.Now Jessica knows for sure that performing is in her blood! Will she dare run away with the circus?The Amazing Jessica; Title: The Amazing Jessica (Sweet Valley Kids) | [
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23,551 | 0 | MATCH WITS WITH THE SUPERSLEUTH IN SNEAKERS!Prize-seeking shower singers . . .A dozing dog . . .A blue-ribbon white mouse . . .A sham can of clam chowder . . .And a shoeshine war that's gone too far!These are just some of the ten brain-twisting mysteries that Encyclopedia Brown must solve by using his famous computerlike brain. Try to crack the cases along with him -- the answers to all the mysterious are in the back!Donald J. Sobol was the author of the highly acclaimed Encyclopedia Brown series and many other books. His awards include a special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his contribution to mystery writing in the United States, and the Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Readers Choice Award for Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace.Warren Changis an award-winning artist and illustrator. He graduated the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, in 1981 with a BFA in illustration. Among his illustration credits are the Encyclopedia Brown books andOla Shakes It Upby Joanne Hyppolite. Chang is also a highly acclaimed oil painter and was inducted as a Master Signature member of the prestigious Oil Painters of America, the largest organization of oil painters in the United States. He lives in California and teaches at San Franciscos Academy of Art University.; Title: Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Sleeping Dog | [
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23,552 | 2 | of 7-year-old Elizabeth Wakefield...Our class is having an art show. My painting was the best! It had lots of macaroni pasted on it. But now my macaroni is missing! Who ruined my painting? Time to use my noodle...and find out!; Title: The Macaroni Mess (Sweet Valley Kids) | [
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23,553 | 2 | o you do when you know your boyfriend cares for someone else?</b><br><br>Melissa Fox has ruined Jessica Wakefield's life.<br><br>She's turned practically everyone at school against her--<br><br>Except the person who matters most...her boyfriend Will Simmons, who keeps taking Jessica's side.Will SimmonsHere's the lesson for the day: never make promises. I'm not talking about little ones, like promising your kid sister you'll take her to see Barney on Ice or promising your mom you'll mow the lawn. I'm talking about those other promises. The ones you make in the heat of the moment. The ones you make under delusions of love. The ones some people think of as written in blood.I promised Melissa I would never leave her.And I meant it. I was in eighth grade. I was a kid. But I knew at that moment that I would never love anyone else.And I knew that Melissa needed me and that I could be there for her, no matter what. I had no idea what I was in for. Ken MatthewsTo: mslater@swiftnet.comFrom: kenQB@swiftnet.comTime: 8:04 pmSubject: Liz & ConnerMaria--Have you talked to Liz yet? Let me know if you need to spill. I'll be around. --KenConner McDermottI really want Liz.There.I said it.When I kissed her in the hall . . . I'll just say this, I never knew a kiss could feel like that. And I've kissed a lot of girls.Trust me.The thing is, right now I don't know what to do. (Yes, I'm admitting it.) I know I can't do the whole relationship thing.Never been good at it.And I know that's what Elizabeth wants. Elizabeth Wakefieldis definitely the deep-relationship type.So what do I do?No. Seriously. I'm asking.What do I do?Not right. This is not right. This is just not right.Jeremy Aames was in serious denial as he followed his mother out of the parking structure toward the well-lit hospital entrance. They didn't speak. They had barely spoken since she picked him up--no, intercepted him--at Trent's party. She had pulled up outside Trent's house just as Jeremy was chasing after Jessica Wakefield, his very distraught date. Now, as they passed through the big, sliding-glass door into the harsh fluorescent lighting of Joshua Fowler Memorial Hospital, Jessica had been nearly forgotten--at least temporarily pushed way to the back of his mind. Jeremy looked around the buzzing emergency room. Suddenly the world was all so sterile and so very wrong. His dad wasn't old; he was barely fifty--too young to have had a heart attack. He shouldn't be here. He should be home with his family. Family."Mom," he called as she turned the corner ahead of him. "Mom," he repeated. "Where are Trisha and Emma?""I sent your sisters next door to the Chapmans," his mom called over her shoulder without breaking her stride. Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief. At least his sisters were hanging out with a family friend--being kept away from all the drama. How could this have happened? Jeremy gritted his teeth and silently followed his mother as she made a quick left, another left, and pushed through a set of double doors. His mom knew exactly where she was going, and she was power walking in a business suit and heels down a labyrinth of corridors. Jeremy just blindly followed her, his heart racing. Suddenly the hallway opened up into a wider area, and then they were at a desk. The sign on the wall read Intensive Care Unit. Intensive care. Jeremy swallowed hard. His mother struggled to catch her breath. "My husband?"The middle-aged nurse behind the counter looked up from a chart. "Can I help you?" she asked. "I'm Margaret Aames. How is my husband? He's supposed to be up here. How is he?"Jeremy felt his pulse quicken. His mother was babbling. She never babbled. What if his father was in serious danger? What if he was going to . . . to die?The nurse pulled out a clipboard and glanced over a chart covered with scribbles. "There has been no change," the nurse said softly. "But that's not necessarily bad at this point. He's stable.""Stable is good?" Mrs. Aames asked, her voice wavering slightly. It broke Jeremy's heart. "Stable is good," the nurse assured her. She came out from behind the desk and smiled at Jeremy. "This must be your son.""I'm Jeremy," he said. "It's nice to meet you," she responded. Her voice was very soothing. "Come along with me, and we'll all look in on your father."Jeremy took a deep breath and trailed behind his mother and the nurse, trying to quell the nausea that was building in his stomach."What happens next?" Jeremy blurted out. "When can he come home?" Please say he's coming home.The nurse stopped at an open doorway and turned around. "You're going to have to talk to the doctor about that, but they'll monitor him here at the hospital for a bit. " She looked up at Jeremy. He felt like she was monitoring him, making sure he was processing the information. "Can we see him now?" Jeremy asked. The nurse peeked inside the small room. "In a moment," she said. "One of the cardiothoracic attendings is finishing up with him right now. I'll pull aside the curtain when it's okay for you two to come in. You can have a seat over there or--""I'll stand," Jeremy said.The nurse nodded, squeezed Mrs. Aames's arm consolingly, and disappeared into the ICU room. Jeremy helped his mom into a chair. "You sit. I'll let you know when she comes back. He'll be okay, Mom. " Mrs. Aames managed a tight smile. Jeremy turned back to the doorway, watching the nurse's shadow as she talked with someone behind the curtain. He felt helpless. He already detested the intensive care unit, with its sour antiseptic smell, long corridors, and beeping sounds coming from all corners. The nurse pulled back the curtain, and Jeremy froze. He felt the blood drain from his face. His dad lay there, totally still, hooked up to a lot of machines. A lot of machines. "Mom?" Jeremy said. His mother jumped out of her chair and rushed through the doorway to his father's bedside. Jeremy inched his way into the room and hung back near the door, feeling scared and out of place. Ever since Jeremy's father had been squeezed out of his lucrative VP position at a local computer company, he'd been depressed and lethargic, but trying to put on a brave front. Images of his father from the last year flashed through Jeremy's mind. Sifting through want ads, scouring his Rolodex for connections, searching Internet job sites. Early on, his father would go to interviews and get all excited about a potential job, but then he'd never mention it again. Lately things had been growing-worse. Jeremy and his mother had been scrambling to pay bills while his father withdrew further and further.I knew this was going to happen, Jeremy thought. His father had tried to keep his family from understanding how serious their financial situation had become. He had refused to share the burden until it was too late. Until he'd lost all hope and begun to slide. "I wish there was something I could have done," Jeremy whispered. As he said the words, Jeremy realized that there was something he could do now. He'd make sure that from now on, his father's life was stress-free. He was going to be there for his father, no matter what. Elizabeth Wakefield woke up, confused. This is not my bed. This is not my comforter.Everything came back to her instantly and in a rush. Even after weeks of living at the Sandborns' house, waking up in a strange room could still be disorienting. Then she heard loud guitar music pulsing through the wall behind her headboard, and there was no mistaking her locale. "Conner," she whispered, seeing his brilliant green eyes as she closed her own. She smiled. Elizabeth had it bad. Her mind conjured up an image of herself and Conner, standing outside their creative-writing classroom, staring into each other's eyes. She remembered the way he'd gently touched her face, the world fading out of focus, and the insistent pressure of his lips against hers. Elizabeth grinned and pulled the white comforter over her head. Was it possible? Had she and Conner really shared that very passionate, very public kiss?She heard water running in the sink. Conner was in the bathroom that connected his room with hers. Suddenly Elizabeth's spirits waned. What the heck was she supposed to do now?She was living with him. What was she going to do when she saw him? What would he do? This was the most ridiculous living situation Elizabeth had ever heard of. Two people, completely unsure of their relationship status, sharing a bathroom. Elizabeth burrowed further under the covers. One thing was for sure, Conner wouldn't be seeing her until she had a chance to shower.It was mornings like this that made Elizabeth miss living with her sister. At least when she shared a bathroom with Jessica, she'd never been afraid to leave her room. Well, maybe for a week or two back in junior high, but she and Jessica were much more mature now. Elizabeth heard an insistent scratching and realized Conner was brushing his teeth. She couldn't believe she could hear his every move. "Ugh!" Elizabeth groaned. She folded up her pillow on either side of her head, smothering her ears. Suddenly she felt a pulling at her neck. Her necklace had gotten snagged on the piping at the hem of the pillowcase. "Oh, no," Elizabeth said, a moment before she heard the snap. She pulled the pillow away and gasped. The stylish chain Maria had given her on her last birthday hung from the edge of the pillowcase. Elizabeth started fussing with the necklace, trying to detach it without doing any more damage. "Maria's going to kill me,...; Title: Your Basic Nightmare (Sweet Valley High Sr. Year(TM)) | [
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23,554 | 2 | ring the mystery behind Katherine Pierce is a real workout.The Unicorns have won a month-long membership at the hottest health club in town! The club is renowned for its diet-and-exercise program, led by spokesmodel Katherine Pierce.Katherine is gorgeous, graceful, and adored by teenagers across the country.Jessica, Lila, Mandy, and Rachel are looking forward to getting in shape and meeting the famous Katherine.But if Katherine's so lucky, why does she look so miserable?"You want...how many?" the saleslady fixed Lila with a flat, skeptical stare."Six of everything," Lila repeated.She had just picked out a purple leotard with a unicorn embroidered on the sleeve.The outfit came with matching tights, socks with sequined unicom appliques, gym bags with unicorns for handles, warm-up jackets and shorts.She couldn't believe they actually had an ensemble with a unicorn motif.It was a sign, she decided.A sign that she was doing the right thing.The saleslady put down her pencil and sighed."Young lady, I really don't have time for jokes.Now why don't you come back with your mother and..."Lila drew herself up to her full height."My name is Lila Fowler.That's Fowler as in Fowler Enterprises.My father owns the buildings on either side of this spa, plus almost every other major piece of property in this county."She opened her purse and removed a gold credit card."Don't worry about my credit limit.I don't have one.And I want to pay for every single item separately, so that I'll have a contest entry for each purchase."The saleslady continued to stare at Lila as if she were some practical joking teen."Julie, why are you keeping Ms.Fowler waiting," a sharp voice demanded.Ms. Malone swept in and smiled at Lila."But Ms. Malone," Julie said timidly, "we don't have six unicorn ensembles in stock.""Then call another Slenderella store, locate them, and have them brought by messenger," Ms. Malone snapped irritably.When she turned toward Lila, her scowling face relaxed and she beamed graciously."Lila Fowler! Forgive me for not recognizing you when you came in with Rachel.Of course we are happy to accommodate you in every way possible."She shot a look at the saleslady."Please make sure that the appropriate number of entry forms are completed.An entry form for each item.That means a separate entry for each pair of socks, each pair of tights, each leotard, etc.""But that's..."The saleslady did some quick figuring.She leaned over the counter."Is that fair?" she whispered."Of course!"Ms. Malone said."The whole reason we're having the contest is to give our customers an incentive to try all of our services.It's not a secret."Ms. Malone picked up the purple leotard."It's lovely.But just out of curiosity, why get six identical ouffits?Why not get six different outfits?Slenderella features the largest selection of workout wear available.""I wanted one for each of my friends," Lila explained."We're a club.The Unicorn Club.""My!I've never seen such generous young girls before," Ms. Malone commented.The saleslady rang up the purchases and showed the bill to Lila.Lila could feel Ms. Malone breathing down her neck as she peered at the bill over Lila's shoulder.The total was high.Staggering, actually.But it would be worth it to trump Ms. Rachel Grant and win a weekend with Katherine Pierce.Lila's gold card made a keeerachick keeerachick sound as it passed through the charge machine.Ms. Malone handed her a fancy gold pen so that she could sign the ticket.Once Lila had dotted the "i" in her name, Ms. Malone breathed a happy sigh."What a treat to see such an attractive young woman throw herself into the Slenderella spirit.I think Katherine Pierce would be very interested in hearing about it.Perhaps I could arrange a lunch upstairs for the two of you in our Slenderella Garden Room."Lila felt her face break into a smile.It had been money well spent.She was actually going to get to spend time with Katherine Pierce--one-on-one.Her mind began to race.Katherine Pierce had the most glamorous life of any teenager in the world.Lila wanted to hear all about it from Katherine herself.And maybe, just maybe, pick up a few tips on how someone like, say, herself, might get into modeling.And best of all, Lila couldn't wait to see the look on Rachel's face when she announced she was running upstairs to have lunch with Katherine Pierce.; Title: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Unicorn Club #19) (Book 19) | [
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23,555 | 2 | of terror...Identical twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are about to say good-bye to sixth grade--forever!But it's not over yet...Janet Howell is throwing a huge end-of-school bash!Since she's president of the Unicorn Club, a group of the most beautiful and popular girls at SVMS, her party is sure to be the biggest event of the year.Suddenly Janet has the school at her feet.But the attention is changing her from a simple pain in the neck to a nightmare on wheels!Janet's cruel jokes and vicious remarks have gotten way out of hand--now everyone's a target.Is anyone brave enough to stand up to the most popular girl in school?"Thank you, thank you." Janet Howell gave a deep bow."I'm so glad to be here this afternoon!"Jessica Wakefield cleared her throat as she looked at Janet."I don't know, Janet.I mean, everyone says that."She was sitting in Janet's living room at a meeting of the Unicorn Club, a group of the prettiest and most popular girls at Sweet Valley Middle School.At least, that was the way Jessica liked to think of her club.Janet had asked everyone to come over and help with a speech she was writing for school. "Anyway, you're talking in front of a stupid school assembly.Are you going to be that glad to be there?" Lila Fowler added, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder."Because I know I'm not," she muttered under her breath to Jessica.Lila was Janet's cousin and one of Jessica's best friends."It's not a stupid assembly.After all, I'll be speaking." Janet crumpled the piece of paper in her hand and threw it onto the coffee table."And how else am I supposed to start my speech?""Friends, Romans, countrymen ...," Mandy Miller intoned in a deep voice.Janet turned to Mandy, glowering."Ha.Ha.Ha," she said in a cold monotone."Very funny.How terribly amusing, Mandy."Mandy smiled uneasily, playing with a silver stacking ring on her finger."OK, so maybe it's been done.""Maybe you should stick to designing funky outfits and forget about speeches," Janet told her."Come on, you guys.I have to make this really original.And you've got to help me," Janet declared.If we help you, then the speech won't be original, Jessica thought.It'll be our ideas instead of yours.But she decided not to point that out.Janet didn't tend to take criticism well.And that was putting it mildly.When it came to criticism, Janet preferred to give than to receive."I've only got a week to write the perfect speech," Janet said."A week? You write most of your papers in a day.A week is more than enough time," Ellen Riteman said with a wave of her hand."Not when I'm planning a blowout party here for the weekend before the assembly, it isn't," Janet said."I have so much to do.My parents actually used the three magic words."The Unicorns looked at each other blankly."RSVP not necessary?" Mary Wallace guessed."Please thank you?" Tamara Chase asked."Janet Howell rules?" Lila suggested.Janet rolled her eyes."No.The three magic words are spare no expense," she said with a grin."They said I could spend whatever I want on the party since graduating from middle school is such an important occasion and all.""That's awesome!" Jessica exclaimed.Janet always had fun parties--but the more deluxe, the better."It is awesome.But I don't know how I'm going to pull off the party and the speech--the party's on Saturday night and the speech is on Monday afternoon," Janet said."You could put off the party," Ellen suggested."I can't change it now," Janet protested."Don't be silly.Everyone would be so disappointed."Jessica looked at Mandy and shrugged.The party sounded fun, but people would cope if they had to wait an extra week for it.Apparently Janet didn't think so."What I need to do is finish my speech right away.Then I can really focus on the party." Janet tapped her pencil against the coffee table."Come on, help me think of some good lines.This is important.They asked me to do the speech because I'm the most popular student in the eighth grade.It has to be amazing."Jessica tried to think of other students' speeches she'd listened to over the years.She couldn't remember any of them--except the one Donald Zwerdling gave.He tripped walking up to the podium and fell flat on his face."I don't think it matters too much," she mused."I can't remember a single speech I've heard at school.""Neither can I," Ellen added."They're all so boring.""That's exactly my point!" Janet cried."Mine can't be boring.I want it to be the one that people remember.They'll take notes.They'll write about it in their yearbook.They'll carry my words in their hearts." She turned to Jessica."Do you think you could get Elizabeth to reprint my speech in the Sixers? You know, so people could have it as a memento?"Jessica raised an eyebrow.If Janet thought her sister was going to stop the presses for her, Janet was deluded.Her twin, Elizabeth, didn't even like Janet.And unless her speech was Nobel Prize-winning material, there was no way Elizabeth would want Janet's words messing up her newspaper.Elizabeth and Jessica were identical twins--they both had long blond hair and blue-green eyes.And they were really close friends.But they were different in a lot of ways.Elizabeth wasn't a member of the Unicorn Club and didn't want to be--she said all they cared about was boys and shopping.Jessica, on the other hand, didn't like studying as hard as Elizabeth and her friends sometimes did.She'd much rather live it up at parties.And she knew that Elizabeth had always thought Janet was bossy and demanding.Then again, Jessica agreed with that description a lot of the time.But Janet was president of the Unicorn Club and an eighth-grader.Jessica knew that being popular meant accepting Janet as she was."Well? Will you ask Elizabeth to put my speech in the newspaper?" Janet pressed."I'll--I'll definitely suggest it," she promised Janet.Thinking fast, she added, "But maybe you should think about having your speech printed up separately.You know, on flyers.People could take a copy with them when the assembly lets out.""That's brilliant!" Janet cried.She turned to the other Unicorns."Why don't some of you come up with great ideas like that?" Janet turned her full attention back to Jessica."Forget about everyone else.Jessica, that's such a good idea that I want you to be my personal assistant for the next week.You're hired!""I am?" Jessica asked.Funny.I don't remember filling out that job application, she thought."Yes.You can help me finish this speech.And at the same time you can work on all the party plans with me I've still got a ton of things to do," Janet said."While you're at it, if you wouldn't mind helping me decide what to wear when I give my speech and figuring out how we'd print those flyers and--""Are you sure you don't need two people for the job?" Jessica interrupted."Or three? Maybe we could all pitch in--"Janet swatted her playfully on the arm."Don't be silly.I'm sure you can handle everything."Jessica didn't know what to say.Maybe I can, she thought.But do I want to?"So.First off, write down that idea about printing my speech for everyone," Janet said."You don't want to forget that.Call the copy store and see how much it would cost.Maybe we can print it on colored paper.""Mm-hm," Jessica muttered, pulling a small pink notebook out of her backpack."Then check with Mr.Clark and make sure it's OK to hand out something during the assembly," Janet continued."Maybe we could leave a copy of my speech on every chair in the auditorium.What do you think of that?"I think that people are going to sit on your speech instead of reading it, Jessica thought sourly.This job is already no fun--and it's only going to get worse!But she was getting ahead of herself.Maybe working for Janet wouldn't turn out to be that bad.After all, Jessica had already planned on going to the party--so why not make sure it was as fun as possible? "Sounds good," she said."OK.Now let's get back to the first problem--writing the thing," Janet said."How do you think I should start my speech?""Well, uh ..." Jessica hesitated.Maybe you should start by paying Elizabeth to write it, she thought.Her twin was a very good writer.But Elizabeth and Janet didn't exactly see eye to eye on things.For example, Elizabeth would probably want to talk about projects everyone could do over the summer to help humanity: like cleaning up the beach, recycling, volunteering....Janet, on the other hand, would probably want to talk about how to get the perfect tan, what hot new summer movies to see, and where all the cool kids would be hanging out on steamy afterno...; Title: Down with Queen Janet! (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,556 | 2 | e underground...Identical twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are about to say good-bye to sixth grade--forever!But it's not over yet....The entire sixth grade is going cave exploring--spelunking!At first, Elizabeth is thrilled to roam through the Ice Cave with her friends.The cave is beautiful--it shimmers with every beam of their flashlights, and Elizabeth even discovers and underground waterfall!But when the guide breaks his leg, it looks like the sixth graders are in for a bigger adventure that they counted on.Will they find their way out of the twisted underground maze?And can they do it in time to save their injured guide?Don't miss Books One, Two, and Four in this fantastic four-part miniseries:Countdown to Junior High!"Did you see this?" Jessica Wakefield pointed to a notice on the bulletin board outside the principal's office."I can't believe it!" It was Monday afternoon, and Jessica was supposed to be on her way to gym class.But she'd stopped when she spotted the neon orange sheet of paper.Lila Fowler leaned closer to peer at the announcement."Safety lecture given by Sweet Valley Spelunking Club," she read out loud."Spelunking? What's that?""It means exploring caves," Jessica said."Remember, Mr.Clark mentioned it at our last assembly?""Oh.That." Lila sighed.She continued reading out loud, "Required for all sixth-graders prior to Cruz Caverns field trip on Thursday.Note: Attendance is mandatory!" Lila groaned."I didn't even know Sweet Valley had a spelunking club.What a bunch of nerds that must be."Jessica giggled."Maybe the club's made up of bats.""Or just batty people who like cold, dark places," Lila added, flipping her long dark brown hair over her shoulder.She shuddered."I hope this field trip isn't too disgusting and slimy.""It can't be," Jessica said."I mean, they wouldn't send us anywhere really gross or dangerous, right?" She noticed someone waving to her out of the corner of her eye and glanced down the hall.Jessica's identical twin, Elizabeth, was heading toward them, with Aaron Dallas at her side.Jessica quickly fluffed her shoulder-length blond hair as they approached.She wanted to look her best for Aaron, who had been her sort-of boyfriend for a while.Lately Lila had been acting as though she was interested in Aaron too.And Jessica wasn't about to lose Aaron to her so-called best friend!"Hi, Aaron!" Jessica smiled brightly at Aaron and quickly stepped in front of Lila."How are you?Oh, hi, Elizabeth," she added."Hey, Jessica.Hey, Lila," Aaron said.Lila shoved Jessica aside."Hi, Aaron.Cool T-shirt.""Thanks." Aaron grinned.Jessica glared at Lila.What was with her complimenting Aaron every time she saw him? She'd already told him how great he was twelve times that day."What were you guys looking at?" Elizabeth asked.She craned her neck to get a glimpse at the orange notice."It's a flyer for some dumb safety lecture we have to go to tomorrow at three o'clock," Jessica told her."For our caving trip.Is that ridiculous or what?" She turned to Aaron, shaking her head."Field trips are supposed to be fun.Why do we have to go to some boring lecture first?""I guess there are lots of safety issues," Elizabeth said."We have to know what we're getting into.""We're going to a cave," Jessica replied, rolling her eyes."What's so hard about that? You walk in, you look around--""Actually it's harder than you think, Jessica," Aaron remarked."I've been caving lots of times, so I know what I'm doing.But spelunking can be dangerous if you aren't prepared.""Aaron's right," said a deep voice behind them.Jessica whirled around to see their school principal, Mr. Clark, standing in the doorway to his office.Jessica frowned.If she'd been eavesdropping on him, she'd be in trouble right now.But Mr. Clark could listen in on anyone, and nobody would complain.Was that fair?"Anyone who wants to go on the spelunking trip has to attend the safety lecture," Mr. Clark said sternly."No exceptions.""But, Mr. Clark, I've been on at least ten spelunking trips," Aaron said."And I've got tons of experience.Once my flashlight batteries died, and I had to make my way out of total darkness.And another time I saved a little kid from falling off a cliff into an underground crater.""Wow," Jessica breathed, gazing at Aaron with admiration."Incredible," Lila added, staring at Aaron, her eyes wide.Do you have to be so over the top? Jessica thought, glaring at Lila again.When Jessica liked someone, at least she tried to be subtle about it.Mr.Clark cleared his throat."Very impressive, Aaron.Nevertheless, the lecture is required.Afterward the organizers will be handing out a quiz.Only those students who pass the quiz with flying colors will be allowed to go on the trip.So pay attention, everyone, and study hard!" He strode off down the hallway, looking very pleased with himself."Only Mr.Clark could turn a field trip into a reason to give us another test," Jessica grumbled."How do you think I feel? I know everything already.And I still have to go to that lecture and take the test--as if I'm a beginner," Aaron complained."Look at it this way--you'll probably ace the test," Elizabeth told him."True," Aaron said with a shrug."I won't even need to listen to the lecture.""Who wants to listen to it?" Lila complained."Can't they just give us some brochures to read on the bus?""I think it'll be interesting," Elizabeth said."Caves are really cool.""I think you mean cold," Jessica corrected her with a sigh.Really, Elizabeth could be such a nerd sometimes! If Elizabeth wasn't careful, she'd end up with an honorary membership to the spelunking club!Of course, Jessica knew that she and Elizabeth didn't exactly share the same interests, even if they did share the same blue-green eyes and shoulder-length blond hair.Elizabeth was happy spending a whole day reading or writing.She didn't mind hanging out at home on a Saturday night, watching a movie with friends.Elizabeth didn't even mind spending her free time at boring lectures.In Jessica's mind, she was a glutton for punishment.Jessica, on the other hand, had much better things to do with her time than listen to a science lecture.For instance, she could hang out with her friends in the Unicorn Club--like Lila, or Mandy Miller, or Janet Howell.They liked to think of themselves as the prettiest and most popular girls at Sweet Valley Middle School, and they were always doing fun things like listening to new CDs and practicing dance moves.Or shopping.Or talking about boys.The possibilities were endless.Only to Jessica, they ended when someone else started talking about a cave lecture."Well, if we have to go," Lila said, "I guess we'll be there."We'll be there, Jessica thought with a frown, and we'll be square!; Title: No Escape! 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23,557 | 7 | m crash-lands on an unknown planet. The planet is dark, and its fetid swamps are filled with flesh-eating flowers, fearsome swamp slugs, and deadly dragonsnakes. No one hears the survey team's distress signals. They are stranded. <br><br>Thirty years later, Zak and Tash Arranda and their uncle Hoole, with Boba Fett in hot pursuit, land on the planet. Descendants of the survey team--half-starved and crazed with strange fevers--are still alive. They call themselves the Children, and how they have survived is a mystery. Does the strange creature named Yoda have the answer?; Title: The Hunger (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 12) | [
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23,558 | 7 | ainst evil rages on, and you are faced with terrifying decisions that will change your future--and the fate of the galaxy. You could go to Dagobah and learn the ways of the Force from Yoda, but Darth Vader tempts you with the power of the dark side. Will you help your friends in the Rebellion fight the Emperor and his minions, or will you betray Luke, Leia, and all who love you to seize unimagined power for yourself?; Title: The Empire Strikes Back (Choose Your Own Star Wars Adventures) | [
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23,559 | 2 | e Thanksgiving menu? Turkey, pumpkin pie...and the biggest fight the Wakefield household has ever seen!For identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, Thanksgiving has always meant food, family, and fun...but this year it means fighting!As their relatives arrive from out of town for a huge Wakefield reunion, Elizabeth and Jessica are bickering big time.The twins' mother tells them that enough is enough--Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful.So the girls call a truce...just when Mrs.Wakefield and her sisters start to wage war!Jessica Wakefield woke up to the sound of banging.  Who could be making that awful racket? Jessica thought as she turned over in her bed.  Am I the only person who realizes that today is a holiday, and holidays are for sleeping late? The banging didn't stop.Jessica sat up, then plopped down again.  She pulled her pillow over her ears.  "Mmmph!"  she said.Her twin sister's voice came from beyond Jessica's door.  "It's Elizabeth, Jess, can I come in?"Jessica opened one eye.  "No," she responded, putting on her best grumpy voice.Elizabeth laughed and walked in.  She sat down on her twin's bed.  "Come on, Jessica, we have a lot of planning to do.  Today's the day!"Suddenly, Jessica pulled the pillow off her head.  "Oh my gosh!"  she said.  "You're right!"  She and Elizabeth looked at each other and said in unison, "The cousins are coming!"It was the day before Thanksgiving, and the Wakefields were hosting dinner this year.  That meant that Mrs. Wakefield's sisters were coming for a visit and bringing their daughters.  Aunt Nancy had two girls, Robin and Stacey.  Aunt Laura had Kelly.  Although Stacey was only eight years old, both Robin and Kelly were the same age as the twins.  And although the twins had seen Robin fairly recently, Kelly had moved with Aunt Laura to Tucson four years ago, and this was her first visit back to Sweet Valley."I can't wait to see them!"  exclaimed Elizabeth.  "Remember how much Kelly looks like us?""Yes," said Jessica, concentrating, "well, sort of.  We haven't seen her in a while.  I wonder whether she still looks the same.""Well...," Elizabeth teased her sister, "I bet she'll be taller."Jessica laughed at that, and Elizabeth smiled.  Elizabeth added, "I hope she hasn't changed that much.  She was always so much fun when we were kids--remember the Door Mouse?"  Was Elizabeth kidding?  Of course Jessica remembered!  When the twins and Kelly were little and Kelly had lived in Sweet Valley, they had loved to act out scenes from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  Jessica's favorite had always been the tea party scene.  Jessica would dress up outrageously as the Mad Hatter, Elizabeth would do her best innocent Alice, and Kelly did a hysterical impersonation of the sleepy, space-cadet Dormouse."And Robin's always a blast," said Jessica.  Robin was the twins' favorite cousin, but that was because they knew her the best.  Robin was only a few months younger than the twins, and the three girls loved hanging out together.  Robin's dad, the twins' Uncle Kirk, often called them "The Three Musketeers."  Once, when Robin had come for a visit, she'd developed a huge crush on Todd Wilkins, Elizabeth's sort-of boyfriend, but that was before she knew that Todd liked Elizabeth.  They had gotten everything sorted out, and their friendship was stronger than ever."Yeah," Elizabeth agreed.  "She's terrific." "So, what fun events do we have planned?"  Jessica asked her sister.Right at that moment, there was a knock at the door."Come in," Elizabeth called out."Unless it's Steven," added Jessica.Their mother poked her head in the door.  "Girls, I need you to get dressed and ready."  Jessica shifted on the bed as her mother eyed her pajamas.  "We have some work to do today.""What kind of work?"  asked Elizabeth."We need to clean the house," replied her mother.  "I want everything to be perfect by the time my sisters arrive.""No problem, Mom," Elizabeth said.  "We'll be glad to help, right, Jessica?""Actually...," Jessica hedged, "I sort of told Lila--""Well, un-tell her," Mrs.  Wakefield said.  "I need your help, and that's final.  I want to see you girls downstairs in twenty minutes.  Chop, chop."  And she turned and left the room.Jessica raised her eyebrows.  It was unlike her mother to act like such a drill sergeant.  Looks like we're in for some big fun today, she thought.As if she were reading her mind, Elizabeth said, "Looks like Mom is in a pretty bad mood.""Oh, well," Jessica sighed.  "How long can a little cleaning take?""Now what, Mom?"  Jessica asked, wearily replacing the mop in the broom closet and hanging the bucket on its hook.  She had just mopped the kitchen floor and hoped that this would be the last chore of the morning.Deep down, however, she guessed that it probably wasn't."Let's see."  Mrs.  Wakefield hunched over a checklist, and Jessica peered over her shoulder.  To her dismay, she saw that her mother's list covered two whole pages--and it was in small type.  She typed the to-do list?  "Fresh cranberry sauce...I guess we can leave that one till tomorrow.  Mopping the floors...check."  Mrs.  Wakefield crossed off that task with a large red slash.  "Ah!  The pumpkin tarts!""The what?"  Jessica asked suspiciously.  Jessica was beginning to wish that she didn't have this vacation day from school.  As she slogged her way through one chore after another, she was having fantasies about being in the school cafeteria.  Or in homeroom.  Or even in science class.  Somewhere she'd be safe.  "I can't make pumpkin tarts," she pointed out.Mrs.  Wakefield shook her head.  "Don't worry, I'll make them.  I thought it would be nice if everyone had a little pumpkin tart for dessert.  The perfect ending to a lovely old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner, don't you think?  Especially with all the relatives coming.""Yeah," Jessica agreed, "but..."  It seems like an awful lot of work, she told herself, wrinkling her nose.  "Wouldn't it make more sense to just buy them?""Buy them?"  Mrs.  Wakefield stared curiously at Jessica.  "No, honey, I want this Thanksgiving to be just perfect, and store-bought pumpkin tarts are not...appropriate.""But...," Jessica tried again.  It wasn't that she was sick of cleaning and doing things for the holiday, exactly--well, OK, she was sick of cleaning--but it was also that Thanksgiving was supposed to be restful and peaceful, and it hadn't been restful so far today at all.  Not even close.  "Pumpkin tarts are hard to make, aren't they?  Wouldn't it be easier to bake a couple of pumpkin pies?"  And use the time we save to do something fun, like plan what we're going to do when Robin and Kelly get here?It was too bad that Jessica's sort-of boyfriend, Aaron Dallas, wouldn't be around.  He and his family were away on a ski trip over the break, so she wouldn't be seeing him till Monday.  Monday.  Jessica sighed.  Monday seemed such a long way off.  She wished she were skiing with Aaron instead of cooped up here cleaning this hopelessly clean house.  Mrs.  Wakefield shook her head.  "Anybody can make a pumpkin pie.  Tarts are my specialty.  Don't you think the family is worth it?"Jessica decided she'd better not answer that question.  "Aunt Nancy never goes to all this trouble when we visit her.""All the more reason we should do things right when they come visit us."  Mrs. Wakefield returned to her list.  "Have you cleaned your room yet?"Jessica nodded.  Actually, she'd hung up her jacket and shoved everything else under the bed, but her mother didn't need to know that.  "Totally clean," she promised, crossing her fingers behind her back.Elizabeth came into the kitchen and dropped a dust cloth on the table.  "Done," she said, sighing heavily.  "But I don't understand why I had to dust all the light bulbs in the dining room--""Because it has to be perfect," Mrs. Wakefield interrupted.  "And that means paying attention to the details.""If I had to mop the floors and even clean the front of the dishwasher, Elizabeth," Jessica groaned, "then you shouldn't complain about a little dusting.  Dusting's way easier than what I just did."Her twin frowned.  "At least people see the front of the dishwasher," she pointed out.  "People don't see light bulbs.""Nobody would have been able to see the tiny spot I found.  It was the only one on the whole dishwasher," Jessica said, feeling virtuous.  "But I noticed it, and I cleaned it."Elizabeth shrugged.  "If it was so tiny, then it doesn't sound like wiping it off was so hard," she said sensibly.Jessica sighed and rolled her eyes.  Sisters.  ...; Title: Sisters at War (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,560 | 2 | ks the cool thing about having a twin is that you can always count on her to help you out. Especially when your twin is superperfect, ultrasweet, never-gets-mad Elizabeth.But...Elizabeth doesn't understand why Jessica can't solve her own problems for once. Really, if she didn't love her sister, she might have to strangle her!"Yes!" I exclaimed. "I'll definitely do it!"My friend Kristin Seltzer stopped walking and turned toward me, her hands on her hips. "But Jessica," she said with a laugh, "you don't even know what I'm asking you yet.""I don't care. Whatever you need me to do, I'm there," I answered. "I want to be in on whatever's going on at school. I'm tired of being the new girl."Kristin narrowed her bright blue eyes. "So you'll do anything I ask?"Her voice was serious, but I knew she was joking. Kristin had just been elected Sweet Valley Junior High's eighth-grade class president and was majorly popular. You'd think she'd be really conceited, but Kristin isn't like that--she's the best."Well, not anything," I disagreed. "But I have a feeling you wouldn't ask me to do something too, too terrible. Right?""Why not? You're just a lowly new girl." Kristin gave me a little bump with her elbow, and we continued walking down the crowded hallway toward the school exit. "Actually," she went on, "it must be hard, starting a new school in the eighth grade, when everyone has their group of friends that they've know since forever.""It is," I insisted. "At SVMS I could have run for class president. But here no one even knows who I am. It's depressing."I know it sounds kind of stuck-up, but it's true. At Sweet Valley Middle School, I, Jessica Wakefield, was one of the most popular girls in the class. And I had a really tight group of the coolest friends--we were inseparable! Plus SVMS only went through the eighth grade, so I would have been part of the ruling class.But then I was the victim of a terrible tragedy. I was transferred.I mean, did they have to go and rezone the school districts over the summer? Just in time for my last year of middle school? It was totally unfair. Not to mention rude.SVJH had a ninth grade, so eighth-graders didn't have as much clout. Now I was just some average, semi-accepted new girl. Sure, I had made a couple of friends, but I wasn't part of a really tight group like I was used to."At least Elizabeth got transferred with you," Kristin pointed out as she pushed open the door and stepped into the sunshine. "That's like having an automatic best friend."Elizabeth is my sister. Well, not just my sister--she's my identical twin.And Kristin was right. I was glad Elizabeth was at Sweet Valley Junior High with me--it made transferring a whole lot easier. But it's not like Elizabeth and I run with the same crowd or anything. Elizabeth is kind of serious and a bookworm. Not my scene at all.Of course she can be cool when she wants to be, and having her around had definitely made me feel less alone. Even during those times when I was sure I'd never have any friends at SVJH besides her.For some inexplicable reason Elizabeth didn't seem to have nearly as much trouble as I did getting used to our new school. She'd made two fast friends right away--Anna Wang and Salvador del Valle--and started a 'zine with them. My start at SVJH had been a little more . . . rocky."Elizabeth is great," I said to Kristin. "But her friends? Please. They're so annoying and uncool. I don't know how she can take them." We jogged down the school steps and headed for my bus stop."Agreeing to be on my Homecoming Day poster committee isn't exactly the coolest thing in the world either," Kristin said."Sure, it is," I insisted. "You're the chairperson, and you're cool. Cool chairperson equals cool activity."Kristin smiled and shook her head. "Whatever.""Kristin, think about it," I pressed on. "You were just elected president! Everyone likes you. You're pretty. You're smart. You're--""Pudgy," Kristin cut me off.I stopped short. "No, you're not," I said.She shot me a look as if to say, Give me a break, Jessica."Okay," I relented. "So maybe you're not a stick. But who cares? You are pretty."I meant it. Kristin has great blue eyes and the best wavy light brown hair. I guess she's . . . curvy, but she wears the coolest clothes, and she has a really cute, really sweet boyfriend--Brian Rainey. Well, they're not officially going out, but almost. In fact, when I thought about it, Kristin had just about everything going for her. I was really lucky to have her for a friend."So, anyway, would being on the committee mess up your track meets?" Kristin asked, changing the subject."No way," I replied. "Track is usually over by four, so I can make posters then. Besides, I'm sick of only doing track. I want to do more school activities and meet more people." Just then my bus pulled up, but I let it go--I could take the next one.Kristin grinned. "All right, all right. If you're really in, I need four posters by tomorrow morning. Can you handle that?""Absolutely. What should they say?" I asked."Just the basic information," she said. "We're playing the Redwood Middle School Dolphins at Homecoming three Saturdays from now. The game is at noon. After that, add a lot of team spirit. You know, 'Go, Sweet Valley, go,' and 'Yay, Wildcats,' kind of stuff.""That sounds easy," I told her. "Anything else?""Nope. That's it.""These are going to be the most amazing posters you've ever seen," I promised. "I am so into it.""Great. Thanks, Jess," Kristin said, turning to go."See you tomorrow--with four awesome posters," I called.Kristin waved. "See ya."I waited anxiously for the next bus, psyched to get home and work on my posters. I really wanted to do a good job. Being on Kristin's poster committee would mean getting to know more people. Which meant more friends. Which meant finally being accepted at SVJH. Which was what I wanted more than anything.; Title: Twin Switch (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
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23,561 | 2 | eth and Salvador share a secret kiss....Why oh why oh why did Elizabeth ever kiss Salvador?No way can they tell Anna what happened.Especially now.She's having such a hard time with the anniversary of her brother's death coming up and all.This whole thing is turning into the biggest mess.But they really should tell Anna.Shouldn't they?"Elizabeth! Over here!" Salvador del Valle called the minute I entered the Sweet Valley Junior High cafeteria. He waved me over to our usual table, where he and Anna Wang were sitting side by side. As I got closer, I saw that Salvador had peeled back the top layer of his tuna sandwich and was loading it with handfuls of crushed potato chips. Anna was staring into her bowl of split-pea soup, probably wondering what had possessed her to buy it. At least that's what I would have been wondering if I were her. It only took me one day of eating the toxic sludge the cafeteria called lunch to learn to brown-bag it. I hurried over, dropped my lunch bag on the table, and sat down in the empty seat next to Anna's."Hi, Elizabeth." Salvador smiled at me from across the table, wiping the potato-chip grease off his fingers by rubbing them on his algebra book. "It's a good thing they don't give detentions for being late to lunch, or you'd be totally busted.""Very funny," I said, shifting in my chair. I was really only a couple of minutes late, if even. Was Salvador that conscious of every moment I wasn't around? "I was just talking to Brian at our locker. About the 'zine article."At the beginning of the school year Anna, Salvador, and I had joined the staff of the Spectator, the official school newspaper. But it hadn't taken us long to realize that the editors took their jobs--and themselves--way too seriously. That's when the three of us decided to start our own 'zine called Zone. And then our friend Brian Rainey had offered to help too. We figured we'd have a lot more fun than we would pretending we worked for The Wall Street Journal--or as Salvador would say, The Dull Street Journal."So when are you and Brian going to check out Sweet Valley's answer to the Space Needle?" Salvador wiggled his eyebrows. "I hope neither of you is afraid of heights over six feet, or you're in trouble."One of our regular features was going to be a column called "Heights and Sights." Brian Rainey and I planned to review all sorts of interesting places around the area. We were starting with the Sweet Valley Tower, the tallest structure in town.I giggled. "I think we'll be okay. But I'll be sure to warn Brian. We're going tonight right after dinner. It's supposed to be a full moon, and we thought it would be fun to call the article 'Sweet Valley by Moonlight' or something like that." I shrugged. "Actually, it was Brian's idea."Brian is my locker partner, and--according to my twin sister, Jessica--one of the coolest guys in the entire school. Jessica is constantly trying to bribe me to switch locker partners. Her latest offer was to let me read all her new fashion magazines first for a whole month, which for her would be a major sacrifice. Her locker partner, Ronald Rheece, is perfectly nice, but he isn't exactly the most popular guy in school."I can probably turn out a draft of the article by our meeting tomorrow if I get all my homework done first," I continued, unwrapping my sandwich. As I raised it to my mouth to take a bite, I happened to glance across the table. Salvador was staring at me, his black eyes totally focused and serious, as if he was hanging on my every word.As soon as he saw that I'd caught him, he looked away quickly and started talking about how the Sweet Valley Tower was probably the shortest tower in the world and how it would take about a thousand of them to equal the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Sears Tower in Chicago or any other self-respecting tower anywhere in the world. But I noticed that his cheeks were turning kind of pink as he talked.I wonder if Anna noticed too, I thought uneasily.Before this year, when Jessica and I got transferred from Sweet Valley Middle School to Sweet Valley Junior High, I never knew that making two amazing new friends could make my life so complicated. I mean, I definitely never expected that I would start having all these weird feelings for Salvador.But somehow things got tangled up almost from the beginning, ever since the time Salvador asked me out on a date when he'd already made plans to hang out with Anna at the same time. That night was still kind of a touchy subject for the three of us.I guess maybe that's why neither Salvador nor I was eager to discuss what happened at the party Jessica and I threw at our house not long ago. I could barely keep myself from blushing as I flashed back to that moment in my brother's room. My fingers clenched against my palms under the table as I remembered how it had felt when Salvador kissed me. Stop it, I told myself sternly. Thinking about that kiss right in front of Anna felt incredibly wrong somehow. Maybe because she and Salvador have been best friends forever and she has a right to know what happened, I thought angrily. But neither Salvador nor I had the guts to tell her.I glanced over at Anna, suddenly realizing that she hadn't said anything at all since I sat down.Her long, beautiful black hair was hanging straight down, brushing against the table and hiding most of her face from my view. She was staring into her soup and stirring it slowly, moving her spoon around and around."Did you forget your lunch today Anna?" I asked, trying to sound casual but unable to keep my voice from squeaking.She didn't answer. She just kept on stirring. Stirring. Stirring.I cleared my throat. "Hey, Anna," I said, raising my voice a little. "Anna?"Finally she looked up. Her big, dark eyes blinked twice. "Huh?""Earth to Anna!" Salvador covered his mouth with his hand and made static sounds, pretending to be mission control. "Earth to Anna! Come in, please!"Anna pushed her hair behind her ear and gazed at both of us. "I'm sorry. What did you say?""It's all right," I said, deciding to let the soup thing drop. "We were just talking about my article. I hope I can get it done by tomorrow.""Oh." Anna blinked again. "That's good. Which article?""The one about the Tower." I gave her a careful look, noticing how her eyes didn't seem to focus. "Are you all right?" I asked. "You're acting kind of . . . distracted."She shrugged her slender shoulders. "I'm just a little tired, I guess."Without another word, she returned her gaze to her soup, staring into the bowl as if the smushed peas and little chunks of hamlike stuff held the secret to the meaning of life.Salvador and I exchanged a puzzled look. Anna was definitely acting weird. And now that I thought about it, she'd been kind of quiet and moody for a couple of days now.I hope she's okay, I thought worriedly. My heart almost stopped as another possibility occurred to me. I hope she hasn't noticed what's going on between me and Salvador. Whatever it is anyway.I shot Salvador a glance and caught him staring at me again. He quickly looked away, pretending to be very interested in his carton of juice. I stared down at my sandwich and gulped.Maybe kissing Salvador was an even bigger mistake than I realized, I thought. Taking a bite of my sandwich, I glanced at Anna out of the corner of my eye. Her face looked thoughtful and sort of sad, and she was totally oblivious to my gaze, like she wasn't even at the table with us. Or like she wishes she weren't, I thought with a sinking sensation. If Salvador and I don't figure out how to stick to just being friends, we might both lose Anna forever.; Title: How to Ruin a Friendship (Sweet Valley Jr. High No. 7) | [
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23,562 | 0 | Grade 3-5-The first in a series that crosses historical fiction with mystery, this easy chapter book falls short of the mark. The story is set in North Carolina in 1897. On the way home from school, nine-year-old Mandie thinks she sees something being thrown from a wagon, and when she later investigates, she finds a cat. She takes the animal home with her, where it gives birth to a kitten and vanquishes a rat, thereby getting into the good graces of Mandie's mother. When Mandie discovers that a cat has been stolen from a family that is visiting her friend, she must make a major decision. In the end, she does the right thing, of course, and the owners allow her to keep the kitten. This is typical series fare, with a fairly simple plot and straightforward text. The story is entertaining and the characters are generally likable, but the writing is uninspired, with moments of didacticism and dialogue that does not ring true to the time period. Leppard introduces several elements that are not resolved in the course of the story. Pass on this one and introduce children to Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books (HarperCollins) instead.Amy Lilien-Harper, Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.d Mandie Shaw knows that cats don't just appear out of nowhere, especially in the woods near her family's log cabin. But when Mandie and her good friend Joe hear a soft meow on their way home from school, they soon discover that's exactly what has happened. Who would leave a cat alone in the woods? And will finding the answer mean Mandie will have to give up the first pet she's ever had?; Title: Who's Mandie? (Young Mandie Mystery Series #1) | [
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23,563 | 2 | You shouldn't date your best friend--even if you really want to.Right?Kristin has had a crush on Brian Rainey since about...forever.Of course, she would totally die if he ever found out.Brian just thinks of her as a friend.That's why it's so cool that Mike asked her out.Now she has someone else to crush on--and she gets to stay friends with Brian.Perfect.Brian thinks Kristin is so sweet and smart.So he doesn't get it.Why do the coolest girls always go for the jerkiest guys?"Kristin! Watch out!"I whirled around to see what Brian was talking about. Too late. An ocean of sticky pink punch showered down onto my head. My hair was completely soaked."Uh. I guess I shouldn't have put the bowl on top of the refrigerator, huh?" Brian asked in a sheepish voice.I just stood there with my eyes closed for a moment, counting to ten. Why did I even volunteer to help Jessica Wakefield clean up in the first place? I thought. Actually, I knew the answer to that. I liked Jessica. I had to respect the way she wasn't afraid to stand up to people who treated her wrong. She stood up to my best friend, Lacey Frells, once--and I know that's not easy. And tonight Jessica had tossed a bunch of drunk high-school guys out of her party--which had been the biggest bash of the year until it got a little out of control. Okay, majorly out of control. Now Jessica was trying to put the living room back together while here I was, standing in her kitchen, covered in sticky goo.I rolled my eyes. "Oh, Brian," was all I could say.He handed me a paper towel, and I tried to blot my hair dry. That's when Brian burst out laughing. "It's not funny," I insisted. Then I looked down at my sweater. I had already spilled punch on it earlier in the evening, and I was now definitely getting the multilayered tie-dyed effect. I giggled. I might look horrible, but at least I could claim I was retro. "Okay," I admitted, "it is pretty funny."Brian laughed even harder. "You look great as a redhead," he said. "I mean, as a pink head. That color makes your eyes look really blue."I gave him a lopsided smile, wondering whether he actually meant that. I didn't really care--it was a nice thing for him to say whether he meant it or not. It's pretty hard to get mad at Brian, even when he acts like a total space case. Hard, but not impossible."When did this night go so wrong?" I asked no one in particular.Brian considered a moment. "I think about the time the cops showed up."We both cracked up. No doubt about it, this had been one wild party.But that's another story.I looked back down at my soaked clothes and made another attempt to dry them with the paper towel. "Great," I said as bits of paper towel came off all over my outfit. "This new sweater is toast," I moaned. "My mother's going to kill me--we just bought it!""Maybe she'll think you've improved it. That sweater wasn't really your color anyway."I finally gave up scrubbing at my sweater and glared at Brian. Couldn't he stop joking for one minute? "Like I really want fashion advice from someone who obviously doesn't even know his own pants size."Brian looked hurt. "What's that supposed to mean?"Instead of his usual tidy khakis and T-shirt, Brian was wearing baggy jeans, an even baggier green sweatshirt, and, to top it off, a hideous, faded brown baseball cap. He had pulled the cap backward over his longish blond hair so that it totally covered his eyebrows.Brian glanced down at his outfit. "My sister said this look was way cool," he- told me."Well, Addie thinks Ronald McDonald dresses cool," I said. "And that's exactly who you look like. Why don't you get some big, floppy shoes to go with the rest of your enormous clothes?"We just stood there a minute, staring at each other. I think he was pretty surprised that I'd just gone off like that. Usually I keep my cool. But it was late, and I was tired. I guess that was why I didn't feel like apologizing right then."I'd better find Jessica," I said finally, heading through the door. "Maybe she'll lend me a dry shirt to change into.""I'll call and get us a ride home," Brian said. "And don't worry--wet or dry, you'll always be beautiful to me!" I heard him chuckle.If only. I sighed. I've had a crush on Brian since the sixth grade. Of course, I'd never tell him that. We're really good friends, and I don't want things to get weird just because I think Brian is cuter than Hanson and twice as nice.Jessica nearly dropped the broom she was using to sweep the living room when she saw me. "What happened to you?""Don't ask," I told her.Bethel McCoy was crouched on the floor, sweeping paper into a dustpan. "You're a mess," she said. Bethel is never one to mince words.I nodded. "Tell me about it. So, Jessica, could I borrow a shirt or something?""Sure," she said. "Elizabeth's upstairs. She'll show you where the bathroom is and where my T-shirts are. Take whatever you need.""Thanks," I said, heading for the stairs.I found Jessica's twin cleaning up in her room. She gaped at me. "What happened to you?""I got into a fight," I explained. "The punch bowl won. Jessica said I could borrow a T-shirt."Elizabeth waved me into the bathroom. "Why don't you clean up first?" she suggested. "I'll find you something to wear."I tried to get clean, but my hair was a total disaster. One big, gooey strand hung over my forehead, plastered down with sticky punch. I tucked the rest of my hair behind my ears, but that one strand kept falling out.Then I washed my face. Unfortunately, my formerly carefully applied mascara created a raccoon effect under my eyes. The only difference being that raccoons are cute.I studied myself in the mirror. Pulling my hair behind my ears made my face look totally round. We are talking Night of the Living Doughnut. Usually I think I look pretty good. Don't get me wrong--supermodels don't have to worry about the competition or anything, but Lacey always tell me that I have pretty eyes and nice hair. And she's not the kind who would lie.Pretty eyes weren't going to save me now, though. The sweater that formerly fell nicely at my waist was now stuck to my stomach in an extremely unflattering way. I sighed. Maybe my mom is right, I thought. Maybe I should just lose a few pounds.I frowned, remembering all of the diets she'd tried to put me on. There was one all-grapefruit number that was supposed to be "very cleansing." I actually did lose weight on that diet--mostly because grapefruit makes me want to barf. But usually I never lost more than a couple of pounds, and I could never keep it off. I've tried to explain to my mom that we just have different bodies that I wasn't made to be skinny like her--but she always says that I could be a model too if I had more "willpower." I mean, give me a break. My mom eats like a pig and never gains a pound. I eat healthy food and am considered overweight. But who cares? I'm sure not going to start eating unhealthy stuff just so I can be fifteen pounds lighter. It's not like that's going to solve all of my problems or something.Besides, I don't usually look like Night of the Living Doughnut. I would just try to keep from drowning in a bowl of punch from now on."Kristin!" Brian yelled from downstairs. "Our ride's here!""Here's a shirt," Elizabeth said as I flung open the bathroom door."Thanks," I replied, "but I think I should just get going. I borrowed your hair clip, by the way.""No problem," Elizabeth reassured me with a smile. "Thanks for helping us clean up. See you Monday.""See you," I said, and hurried down the stairs. "Bye, Jessica!" I called. "Bye, Bethel!""Bye," they chorused as I walked out the door.I was so happy to be going home that I grinned to myself all the way down the front walk. But the minute I scrambled into the car beside Brian, I thought I might die. Brian's brother, Billy, was behind the wheel. That wasn't the part that made me want to die, even though Billy is sixteen and a sophomore at Sweet Valley High.No, the problem was that Billy had brought a friend along. And not just any friend--Mike Kalb! Mike is sixteen and completely gorgeous. We are talking black-haired, green-eyed, total all that-ness. I nearly crawled under the floor mat when he turned around."Hey, Brian, how's it going?" Mike asked, then nodded at me politely. "Hey," he said.I swallowed. "Hey, yourself," I said, nearly in a whisper. So he didn't recognize me, I thought, actually relieved. Mike is good friends with Lacey's boyfriend, Gel. I didn't want him to think I normally went to parties looking like this.At that very moment Billy turned around in the front seat. "Brian, you didn't tell me this was a swimming party," he said."It wasn't," Brian told him."Then how come Kristin looks like a drowned rat?" Mike laughed at his own joke. Sometimes he seems to think he's my older brother too."That's so funny and original," I said sarcastically. I would have added a snappy comeback, but I was too tired. Besides, I figured I could let one lame joke slide.I turned to say something to Brian, which is when I noticed that Mike was looking at me with a weird expression on his face. Like he was studying me. My eyes met his, and for a split second I felt a tiny burst of excitement.Is he interested in me? I wondered. He couldn't be--could he? Not tonight. I look like a total loser!I blinked and looked down just as Billy started yammering on about some stupid wrestling match. I knew he and Mike were both on the SVH team.Billy pulled up to my house. He and Mike were so busy talking that they barely noticed when I jumped out. "Thanks for the ride," I said anyway. Brian gave me a big smile."Take care, rat girl," he joked. But he didn't make a move...; Title: Boy. Friend. (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
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23,564 | 0 | Mandie Shaw mysteries combine the best aspects of Nancy Drew with the Little House books.Winter has arrived in Charley Gap! There's so much snow that Mandie and Joe make a huge snowman in Mandie's front yard. One night, after her family is asleep, Mandie hears someone talking outside her bedroom window. No one is there except the snowman. And he can't talk . . . or can he? The answer is a surprise to everyone--including Mandie!--in this spirited mystery with a heartwarming solution.Best known for her Mandie series, Lois Gladys Leppard has written over 30 books for young readers.; Title: The Talking Snowman (Young Mandie Mystery Series #4) | [
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23,565 | 2 | of 7-year-old Jessica Wakefield...There are two Wakefield twins in our marching band, but only one drum. Which twin should play it? Me, of course. But my twin sister, Elizabeth, got picked instead! I want to play that drum more than anything. And I won't stop making noise until I do!; Title: Little Drummer Girls (Sweet Valley Kids) | [
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23,566 | 2 | out of her close circle of friends.<br><br>Anna has needed this all along. To get away from everybody andtry something completely different. Meet new people. After all, change is good, right? And the drama club is so cool.Anna"Ugh--what died?" I asked, wrinkling my nose in disgust. I scooted my chair a couple of inches away from my best friend, Salvador del Valle."Actually, I think it's still breathing," Salvador responded as he poked at the food on his plate."I wouldn't touch it," Elizabeth Wakefield said from across the table.The three of us were having lunch together in the cafeteria on Monday afternoon. Elizabeth had brown-bagged it, and I had decided to play it safe and get one of the SVJH cafeteria's peanut-butter sandwiches. But for some crazy reason Salvador had ordered the special--chicken chow mein."Well, here goes," Salvador said cautiously, scooping up a forkful of chicken and slimy-looking vegetables. Elizabeth and I both pretended to hold our breath as he slowly closed his mouth around the fork. Instantly his whole face clenched into an expression of total horror."That good?" I teased.Salvador grabbed a napkin and spat out the chow mein. He quickly pushed his plate away from him."Imagine," Salvador said, still grimacing, "licking the gunk-encrusted tire of a garbage truck just back from a run to the dump--""Okay, okay," Elizabeth cut him off. "We get the picture. It tastes gross. Really, really gross."I rolled my eyes. Salvador can be pretty annoying sometimes, but I like him anyway. We've been friends forever, so I guess he kind of grew on me over the years. Like fungus."That was a great expression you had, though," I said. "I could try to use it in drama club, like if I ever have to pretend that I'm a prisoner of war forced to eat slop."Elizabeth glanced over at me. "How's that going?" she asked, pushing a few strands of long blond hair out of her face. "Drama club, I mean," she added."It's really great," I replied.I'd always figured that I'd be a terrible actress since I'm pretty shy. I could have pictured Elizabeth in drama club. Every once in a while she and her twin sister, Jessica, switch places. Even though they look exactly alike, they have completely different personalities--so if Elizabeth can convince someone that she's Jessica, she must be able to act. And Salvador's always performing in front of everyone even if he's not really acting.But the last person I thought would ever join drama club was me--until Mrs. Marill, the school psychologist, suggested it. Actually, suggested isn't really the right word. She and the rest of the SVJH faculty were worried that I wasn't "grieving properly" or whatever for my brother, Tim. He died over a year ago in a car accident, and I miss him all the time. Mrs. Marill thought that drama club would help me "release all the emotions that were built up inside me." Basically I either had to join the drama club or keep going to regular "sessions" with Mrs. Marill, instead of just seeing her for progress checks every few weeks. She's this really old woman who peers at me like she's trying to read my mind. Yuck. It was an easy choice.The weird part, though, is that now I'm kind of glad the whole thing happened--because drama club is amazing."Are you still doing those weird be-an-animal games?" Salvador asked, narrowing his dark brown eyes as he reached over to grab a handful of my potato chips.I sighed. Ever since I joined drama club, Salvador hasn't stopped picking on me."Ignore him," Elizabeth said. "I bet you're really good, Anna. I love the way you imitate teachers." She started to giggle. "Like when you pretend to be Miss Scarlett.""Yeah, do it, Anna," Salvador urged, grinning.I cleared my throat and tightened my mouth, like I had just eaten paste and my lips were starting to stick together. Then I narrowed my eyes and threw my shoulders back the way Miss Scarlet, our gym teacher, always does."Remember, class, wet bathing suits are a breeding ground for a host of nasty bacteria, not to mention body odors--," I began in a high-pitched voice.Before I could finish, Salvador and Elizabeth both burst out laughing."See?" Elizabeth said. "You're awesome!"I shook my head. "You guys are my friends. It's different acting in front of a bunch of people who aren't in drama club." I paused, biting my lip. "Our parents'-night skits are coming up in a couple of weeks, and I'm so nervous." My palms started to sweat just thinking about it. "I mean, the last time I was onstage for a real audience, I played a glazed carrot in our second-grade Thanksgiving pageant.""I remember that," Salvador said. "You were the most believable glazed carrot there," he added in a mock-serious tone.I threw a potato chip at him, but he just dodged it and laughed.Typical Salvador, I thought. One of my favorite things about Salvador is the way he can make a joke out of anything. But drama club was actually important to me.I just hoped he'd figure that out soon.; Title: Keepin' it Real (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
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23,567 | 7 | Tash Arranda can't believe her eyes. Here, in an abandoned Rebel base on the remote planet Dantooine, she has just seen her parents. Her dead parents. Is she losing her mind?<br><br>Then Tash spies the one being in the galaxy she least wants to see--Darth Vader. It seems the Empire has tracked them down at last. But what Tash doesn't know is that this is only the beginning of a terrifying journey into an evil world, where she'll be forced to fight her own brother and uncle...to the death!; Title: Clones (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 11) | [
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23,568 | 7 | untains look peaceful. The kids and the leaders seem friendly. The only challenge supposedly comes from within yourself. Wilderness Adventure - it'll change your life forever. . . .Amy arrives at Wilderness Adventure all pumped up for a week of extreme sports. Her superior strength gives her an edge over the others. But she's ready to rock-climb, mountain-bike, and hang-glide without apologies. Only Eric and Tasha know why things are so easy for her. And Amy is glad they've come along - especially Eric, since she's crazy about him.But the rugged bonding experience doesn't go exactly as she's planned.Amy falls for a mysterious guy. Freak accidents abound. Secrets rule.Soon "extreme" doesn't begin to describe the mad scramble for survival.Amy's life will change, all right - change forever!Marilyn Kaye is an associate professor in the Division of Library and Information Science at St. John's University, New York, and the author of many books for young people.; Title: And the Two Shall Meet (Replica 6) | [
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23,569 | 2 | e better than a party at the Wakefields' to introduce new classmates and old friends?<br><br>When her parents go out of town, Jessica figures it's the perfect time to show her new friends and classmates that she's cool.And what's cooler than a party?<br><br><i>While the parents are away<br>The Wakefields will par-tay!</i>"Ouch! Shoot!" I said as I accidentally slammed my finger in my locker. I jammed my pinky into my mouth, then pulled it out and inspected the damage. My locker door rattled loudly. I kicked it. Revenge is sweet."You okay?" Bethel McCoy asked, looking at my red finger. She grimaced and flashed me a sympathetic look."Yeah," I told her, blowing on my finger. Someone told me once that's supposed to make an injury feel better. Guess what? It totally doesn't work. "I don't have time to feel the pain anyway."We were in the locker room after cross-country practice, and I was rushing to make the special bus that took home the kids on sports teams. I bent to pick up my bag, flipped my damp hair over my shoulder, and turned to go. "See you, Bethel.""Hold up," she said. She pointed to a disgusting lump on one of the changing benches."Don't forget your lucky sweat socks." Bethel grinned.I rolled my eyes. "Thanks so much for reminding me," I said sarcastically. I picked up the socks between my index finger and thumb. Gross upon gross--they had actually been sitting there since yesterday. I unzipped my bag and shoved them in."And Jessica," Bethel said before I could sprint off again, "good run today."She was putting something in her locker when she said it, so she didn't see my smile. It was just as well. I didn't want Bethel to think I was a total dork, grinning like a fool. But I couldn't help feeling pleased. Bethel's the best runner on the cross-country team--by far--and I had almost beaten her today."It wasn't as good as tomorrow's will be," I told her. "You better watch out, or you'll be eatin' my dust soon."Bethel snorted and pretended she was about to toss her sweatshirt at my head. "Get out of here!"I bolted for the door, laughing. "See you!""Bye!" she called. Her voice echoed through the locker room and faded as I burst out the door into the bright sunlight and bolted for my bus. I slipped into my seat just as the doors were closing. I was still smiling, thinking about the compliment Bethel gave me. She and I had started out not liking each other when I joined the team. But we'd gotten used to each other and were now even becoming friends.I think. Bethel is kind of hard to read.But still, I liked her. And it was really nice of her to say that I had run well. In fact, it made me grin to myself all the way to my bus stop. I got off the bus and started down the street toward a nice, hot shower and clothes that weren't wilted with sweat.This was officially a very good day. In spite of my finger."Jessica! Wait!" called a familiar voice.I whirled around to see Lila Fowler, my best friend. Or rather, she had been my best friend until I moved to a new school and my entire life had fallen apart. "Lila!" I was suddenly overwhelmed with the kind of feeling usually reserved for Christmas morning and my birthday--as in, total joy.Lila trotted toward me, looking like she stepped right out of a fashion magazine. Her long, brown hair bounced and gleamed in the sun. I was suddenly aware of just how gross I looked, and I didn't even want to think about how I smelled. The Jessica Wakefield that Lila knew would never have walked around looking like such a slob.Why do I have to run into her now? I'd worn cool flared jeans and a fitted top to school and had looked suitably glam practically all day. But for track practice I'd changed into an old T-shirt and spandex. Then I ran for two hours. Since I knew I was going right home after, I hadn't bothered to shower or change.As Lila got closer, her smile faltered. She peered at me over the top of her designer sunglasses. "Nobody told me grunge was back.""It pays to keep up with the trends," I said. "That showered look is so five minutes ago." Lila looked confused, so I smiled and shook my head. "I'm just kidding, Lila. Actually, I just got back from track practice.""You . . . what?" Lila asked, as if I had just told her I was from Mars or joining the navy or something.Lila and I went to the same school up until this year. Then they rezoned the district and my twin, Elizabeth, and I had been assigned to Sweet Valley Junior High while Lila and almost all my old friends stayed at Sweet Valley Middle School.Back at Sweet Valley Middle, I'd been part of the It crowd. My friends were all the popular girls around school.But that was history now. I had hardly any friends at my new school, although I was working on it. Today, for example, I had a real conversation with Kristin Seltzer, one of the most popular girls at SVJH. And there was Bethel, of course. Still, I was hardly part of the It crowd there."Track is cool at Sweet Valley Junior High," I said to Lila."Really?" Her eyes were wide."Of course," I insisted. It was cool with me anyway. "Why would I do it if it weren't cool?""Good point," Lila said. "SVJH sounds so weird! I'm glad I'm not there--I could never find the time to be on a track team," she went on. "There are so many parties to go to' You wouldn't believe how much clothing I've needed this year."I hadn't been to any parties this year. I felt a pang. I hated to admit how much I missed my old life. My old friends."How are Mandy and Rachel?" I asked, eager to hear every detail. "What's Ellen up to?"Lila shrugged. "Everybody is so busy, we hardly have time to talk on the phone." She and I fell into step toward home. "Mandy is dating this really cute guy, Chet, so that takes up a lot of her time. Rachel is in charge of planning all the parties at school. And Ellen has, like, five guys calling her all the time.""Really?" I asked. But Ellen was always such a klutz! I wanted to say. Why did she get to be Little Miss Popularity while I had to sit around Friday nights watching movies with my parents?"Really," Lila said with a little smile. "Honestly, I hardly ever see them anymore, I'm always so busy with Ashlee, Maree, and Courtnee." I tried not to groan, remembering how Lila had convinced all of her new friends to spell their names with ee endings. I mean, gag mee.Of course, I would have gladly hung with the Double E's if it meant getting out of SVJH and hanging with Lila again. I wondered whether Lila had missed me at all. She must--a little. Could hanging with the Double E's really be that great?"Listen," I said to Lila, "I may be at a different school, but I didn't move away. You should call me when you guys are getting together. I still love a good party."Lila smiled. "Well, I'm having a little get-together tonight at my house. Just girls. But I think it'll be fun. Think you can come? We have so much to catch up on!"I stopped myself from jumping up and down and squealing. "Let me call you," I said casually as we got to my corner. "I have some plans. But I'll try to drop by if I can." I didn't really have any plans, and if I could manage to get out of the house after dinner, I was definitely going to Lila's. But I didn't want to look too eager. After all, I do have some pride."Great. I can't wait for us to hang out." Lila gave me a little hug, and I turned the corner and headed down to my house.I watched her go for a minute. What an awesome day I'd had. How could I have forgotten about my old friends? Why hadn't I been hanging with them? I shook my head. Well, between my old friends and my new ones, things were definitely looking up.I turned up the walk, wondering what Elizabeth would make for dinner. Mom and Dad were in Vancouver at some lawyer convention for Dad's job, so my twin, my brother, and I were taking turns with the cooking and cleaning. Tonight was Elizabeth's night.Being "looked after" by our older brother, Steven, was such a joke. Steven can't even remember to put the cap back on the toothpaste, much less care for other human beings. The only good thing is that he isn't as strict as Mom and Dad. He lets us stay up late and blast the stereo. . .At that moment I was struck with such a brilliant idea that I actually stopped in my tracks.Mom and Dad were going to be gone until next Monday. That meant that the living room would be a parent-free zone on Saturday night. And Steven didn't really care what we did.This was the perfect opportunity for a Saturday night slumber party!I'd invite Lila and all of my other Sweet Valley Middle friends. Maybe I would invite a couple of SVJHers too, like Kristin and Bethel.It was time to have some fun for a change.Now all I had to do was get Steven to agree.; Title: The Cool Crowd (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
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23,570 | 2 | t Lacey wants? For everyone to stop asking what her problem is. Likes there's one answer to that, anyway.Her problem is that everyone should leave her alone. Including her "best friends," who think they know everything.Because they don't.LaceyI've never noticed before, but Big Bird has a really weird walk. He does this awkward, almost limping kind of thing, shifting back and forth between his big feet.It's not something most people would notice unless they sat through Sesame Street three times. If Victoria--Penelope's mother and my darling stepmother--caught her precious daughter watching anything that wasn't "educational," I knew I'd have to listen to her shrill voice whining at me for at least a week.Big Bird or Victoria? Not a tough choice.I heard the front door open and then bang shut and cringed as I listened to a familiar pair of heels (black patent leather--I could picture them in my head) clack across the black-and-white marble floor of the front hall toward the living room.That's strange, I thought with a small smile. I've heard that witches can conjure normal people with their thoughts--not the other way around."Mommy!" Penelope shrieked the second Victoria entered the room. She leaped up and ran over to her.Victoria dropped her briefcase on the floor and scooped up her daughter, smothering her with hugs and kisses. Even after Victoria's long day at work, her hair remained perfectly arranged in a tight bun, and her black pantsuit didn't have a single wrinkle. Victoria's obsessed with stuff like that--her clothes are always crisply pressed, she flosses after every meal, and she has files for everything with labels like Colleges for Penelope. Our whole house is decorated in black and white because she has this problem with colors--apparently they interfere with the balance of positive and negative energy. Personally, I think colors are too challenging for her. Too interesting. It's as if she's trying to make sure that her life remains as bland as possible so she knows exactly what to expect and can orchestrate the whole thing. Well, one thing is for sure, she can't orchestrate me.I crossed my legs and leaned back into the sofa, then picked up the magazine and began to thumb through it again."Mommy missed you so much today," I heard Victoria coo. The effort required to keep from rolling my eyes rated way up there."I missed you too, mommy," Penelope answered. "Lacey and I were watching Sesame Street together."I winced at the proud tone in her voice. Penelope kind of looks up to me, and I know it's not her fault that my dad and Victoria love to wreck all my plans by making me baby-sit her. She's not a bad kid, but still--she's a kid. I really don't enjoy hanging out with her."Hello, Lacey," Victoria greeted me. Her voice was like a Slushie--cold and syrupy sweet.I squinted in concentration at the magazine page in front of me. It was a spread on stylish bags to carry your fluffy white dog in. Not exactly the most thrilling topic since I don't own a fluffy white dog. (Neither does Victoria, surprisingly.)"Hey," I responded.Usually my less than enthusiastic one-word responses are enough to get her to leave me alone."Why don't you go upstairs and get changed?" Victoria continued.My body stiffened, and I slowly raised my head to meet her gaze. "Why?" I asked. My eyes flickered down to my outfit, a snug neon green T-shirt (my favorite color--the brighter the better) and black cargo pants. Victoria never misses a chance to pick on the stuff I wear, but I really couldn't see anything wrong with my present outfit, aside from the offending color."We're going out to dinner tonight," Victoria replied, reaching up and running a hand along her bun to smooth it down, even though not a single strand of platinum hair had come loose."Where are we going, Mommy?" Penelope asked. She took a few steps away from Victoria and plopped down on the floor. Her blue eyes darted back and forth between me and her mother, glowing with obvious excitement."I thought we'd go to Vito's." Victoria's tone was casual, but there was a strange crease in her forehead and she was staring right at me with this fake smile stuck on her lips. I guess you could call it a grimace."Vito's?" I tried to keep the curiosity out of my voice. Vito's is a pizzeria. Victoria hates Vito's. It has red-and-white-check plastic-tablecloths, seriously greasy pizza, and ripped red vinyl booths. They play cheesy Italian love songs on the stereo and give you free soda refills. It's just about my favorite place in the whole world."Yes, Vito's." She started brushing imaginary dust off the shiny white end table next to the sofa. Our house is so clean, dust would be scared to show up here. "As you know, I prefer to eat somewhere with a little more . . . class. But I thought it would be nice to go to an establishment more to your taste tonight. Your father will be here any minute, so maybe you should go put on something nice," she added.I stood and tossed the magazine onto the floor. I watched as Victoria's gaze went right to where it lay, open on the carpet, cluttering her perfectly neat living room. I waited for her to snap at me or even reach out and grab the thing herself, but she stayed where she was, and I knew it was killing her. Her lips seemed to purse together more tightly, but she remained silent.Two things did not compute: (a) Victoria wanted to go to Vito's, and (b) she wasn't making any sarcastic remarks to me.Something was definitely up. Something big."I think what I'm wearing is just fine for Vito's," I said. "Is there a reason why I should be dressing up tonight? Some special occasion I don't know about?"Victoria paused, and right then I heard the front door open and close again. My dad strolled into the living room and immediately draped his arm around Victoria. He was wearing a white suit. A white suit! Okay, maybe it was sort of stone colored, but it's pretty much the same thing. Victoria dresses him--obviously."So is everyone ready for dinner?" he asked, looking directly at Victoria."We were just talking about why we're going out," I answered.He turned to face me, and I crossed my arms over my chest, studying his expression. Whenever my father looks right at me, there's always a hint of nervousness in his eyes, and he speaks extra quickly, as if he's in a hurry to get back to something he knows how to deal with--like mixing a martini or reading the paper. Right now the nervousness seemed more intense than usual, but there was also something else . . . eagerness, maybe?"It's a special family dinner. We have something to share with you and your sister," he said, staring at the floor in the space between me and Penelope. "But I'd rather wait until we're at the restaurant.""So then let's go," I said, tossing my dark hair over my shoulder.I don't like surprises. And I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a good one either.; Title: Got a Problem? (Sweet Valley Jr. High No. 11) | [
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23,571 | 0 | Encyclopedia Brown, the secret weapon in Idaville's war on crime, is back--with 10 all-new mysteries to solve. Bugs Meany and his tricky Tigers are back, too. And Wilford Wiggins, lazy as a bedpost, is still dreaming up ways to part little kids from their allowances. But with the help of Sally Kimball, the prettiest (and the toughest) girl in the fifth grade, Encyclopedia can solve any case. From Pablo's missing nose to racing reptiles that become snake snacks, the answers to all the cases are in the back of the book--but can you solve them on your own first?Donald J. Sobol was the author of the highly acclaimed Encyclopedia Brown series and many other books. His awards include a special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his contribution to mystery writing in the United States, and the Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Readers Choice Award for Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace.; Title: Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of Pablos Nose | [
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23,572 | 2 | lt;/b><br><br>I <i>know</i> my mom--my <i>real mom</i>--cares about me.<br><br>So what if she <i>never</i> writes or calls?She's probably really busy.<br><br>But it will be <i>so cool</i> having her visit.We can go shopping and <i>talk</i> and...I don't know...<i>bond</i> or something.<br><br>Right?Lacey"Lacey--dinner!" my father called up the stairs.I groaned. I wanted to say I wasn't hungry, but my stomach was rumbling in a way that was impossible to ignore. I tossed down the Cosmo Girl magazine I'd been reading, brushed my hair out of my eyes, and dragged myself out of bed.Dinner is not my favorite time of the day.For starters, my darling stepmother, Victoria, has all these rules. We're supposed to behave the way normal families do--with some "class," as Victoria is fond of saying. Dinner must be eaten in the dining room. We're also supposed to engage in polite conversation. This is a total joke, considering that Victoria and I can't stand each other--or that my half sister, Penelope, is mostly interested in Teletubbies, or that my dad can't wait to escape and go read The Wall Street Journal.Fun, fun, fun, I thought miserably. I braced myself for the evening's drama as I walked into the dining room. The table looked like something from Martha Stewart. White tablecloth, napkins, and plates. A big, dramatic centerpiece with white flowers. In case you haven't guessed, formalities are a major priority in the Frells household. So is the complete absence of color. Everything is done in black and white. Victoria thinks beige is too bright.Dad sat at the head of the table, still dressed in his suit from work. Penelope was wiggling around in her booster seat. I pursed my lips. She reminded me of some kind of fish, caught on dry land. I could hear Victoria puttering around in the kitchen."Hi, Lacey!" Penelope said brightly as I slid into my seat."Hi," I mumbled. As far as kids go, I guess Penelope isn't all that bad. But still, she is three--and I'm the one who gets stuck babysitting her most of the time. I glanced across the table. "Hey, Dad."He cleared his throat, then coughed awkwardly. "Um...hi," he said.I stared at him for a moment. Dad seemed even more nervous than usual. Then again, he always acts nervous when I'm around. He can't look me in the eye, and he talks way too fast--it's like he's afraid at any moment I might throw a fit or something. I can't exactly blame him, though. I have freaked out more than once. But it's not my fault. It's totally impossible to maintain control all the time, living in the same house as Victoria."Mommy, I want milk!" Penelope screeched."Coming!" she answered.My own drink was already on the table--diet Coke in a cut-glass wine goblet. Like I said, we're big on formalities here. The food stood waiting in three covered serving dishes. It was Wednesday, which meant the dishes contained baked chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, and wild rice.Victoria coasted into the dining room. She was dressed in a spotless business suit. Today's outfit was charcoal gray--actually a radical color choice for my stepmother."Here's your milk, sweetie." Victoria put a sippy cup in front of Penelope. She caught Dad's eye as she slipped into her chair next to Penelope. I saw him nod almost imperceptibly.So. They had a secret. My stomach tensed. Suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. The last secret nearly killed me. Dad and Victoria had dropped a major bomb on me a couple of months ago: Victoria was pregnant. The way they acted when they told me was...well, sickening. Nonstop giggles. Gooey kisses and baby talk. They couldn't have been more excited about having another kid. But I saw their "good" news for what it was a warning. I already spent half my life baby-sitting Penelope. I was not looking forward to living with a new screaming, smelly brat.Victoria uncovered the food, and we started to pass it around."Would you like some french fries?" Dad asked me.My jaw dropped. Victoria never varies her Wednesday menu. Suddenly it was out with wild rice, which I loathe--and in with french fries, my favorite. Victoria never even eats fries because she says they're loaded with fat and salt and they're "bad for digestion.""Um...sure," I said.Dad passed the fries.I swallowed. Nobody spoke--not even Penelope. We all watched as Victoria put a couple of pieces of steamed broccoli and a piece of chicken on Penelope's plate."So...how was school today, sweetie?" Victoria asked.Sweetie?That was it. Victoria had never once called me sweetie--ever. And she had to be talking to me because Dad and Penelope didn't go to school.I dropped my fork. It fell to the plate with a sharp clatter. "What's going on here?" I demanded.Victoria shifted her gaze to my father. I was getting a very bad vibe. Either my dad and his wife had been replaced by alien clones or they were hiding something huge. An awful thought flashed into my mind. Victoria was having twins! I slid my hands under the table and crossed my fingers. Please don't let it be that. Baby-sitting for one kid was bad enough. Two was awful but unavoidable. Three would be terminal.Dad squirmed in his seat and stared at his napkin. He cleared his throat again. Finally he looked up and met my gaze. "I got a call from your mother today," he said.Time came to a standstill. Mom? No wonder they were acting so freakish. The mere mention of my mother is enough to raise the tension in Dad and Victoria's house to meltdown level. But why hadn't Mom called me? She never talked to Dad if she could avoid it."What did she say?" I asked cautiously."She's coming to town," Dad mumbled. He sounded like his best friend had just died.My heart began to race. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Now this...this was good news. Very good news. I hardly ever saw Mom. I hadn't seen her in almost two years, in fact. My parents got divorced when I was six. The lawyers and judges thought my father should get custody of me just because Mom is a high-powered fashion photographer and magazines like Elle and Vogue are always flying her all over the world.That's how I started my prison sentence in this house.Of course, Mom tries to stay in touch as much as possible. She sends me postcards all the time from cool places like the Cayman Islands and Rio de Janeiro. And she always calls on my birthday. But her travels hardly ever bring her to Sweet Valley. There aren't a lot of fashion magazines in this town. That's why she lives in New York City. Right after the divorce, she moved into an apartment in downtown Manhattan. I've never actually been there, but I'm sure her place is totally glam. For instance, I bet it contains actual colors. Unlike some places I know."When is she coming?" I asked casually."Friday," Dad said. His expression was blank--but I could tell he wasn't thrilled.Friday, I thought. Two days away. So soon. I didn't even know what to think. My brain felt like it had been plugged into an electric socket. I couldn't focus.Victoria sighed. "I just wish Sonia had given us more notice," she said sourly--emphasizing my mother's name. (A much cooler name than Victoria, by the way.) It figured she would be irritated. My stepmother hates surprises and spontaneity as much as she hates bright colors."Where's she staying?" I asked."The Mercer Grand," Dad said. "Some magazine is paying for the room.""How appropriate," Victoria said. Her tone was dry.I shot her an annoyed look. The Mercer Grand is very Hollywood, very cool. I couldn't wait to go meet my mom there. I could just picture it: There we would be, sitting in the hotel lobby, surrounded by rock stars and famous actors...hanging, bonding, sharing a little mother-and-daughter face time.But for some reason, my stomach felt funny. It was almost the feeling I get when I have to take a big test I haven't studied for. A definite ache.It was nothing, though. Victoria was probably right about french fries after all.; Title: Whatever (Sweet Valley Jr. High No. 17) | [
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23,573 | 2 | Hanson learns that the newly elected president of a Middle Eastern country will be visiting Washington with his horse-crazy daughter, it seems only natural to write the girl a letter inviting her to come for a ride at Pine Hollow. Carole thinks she might get a reply with an interesting stamp on it. Instead of a stamp, however, Carole gets men with dark suits and sunglasses who walk around Pine Hollow talking into their lapels, looking for spies in the hayloft, and asking for security clearance for horses. Isn't this a little extreme? Especially since the four girls only wanted to go on a trail ride!<br><br>But when a real spy turns up at Pine Hollow, The Saddle Club rides to the rescue to protect national horse safety!Bonnie Bryant is the author of The Saddle Club series and numerous novelizations for young people.; Title: Horse Spy (Saddle Club No. 94) | [
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23,574 | 2 | of animals is a snap! That's what identical twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and their friends think when they volunteer at the Sweet Valley Zoo.Until Elizabeth accidentally lets a mischievous monkey named Spanky out of his cage. Spanky shows up in the strangest places -- behind the counter at Casey's ice cream parlor, in the auditorium during a school assembly, and hanging from the Wakefield's kitchen ceiling.Until Bruce Patman takes care of a baby bird named Drumstick. Bruce is secretly afraid of birds, but Drumstick thinks Bruce is the greatest thing ever, and won't leave him alone!Until Jessica falls in love with Gus, a grizzly bear cub who's lost his mother. She's determined to help Gus adjust to life in the zoo, but the zookeeper tells her they must return Gus to the wild. Will Jessica be able to say good-bye to her furry friend?Don't Miss Any Of The Books In This Fabulous Series!; Title: JESSICA'S ANIMAL INSTINCTS (Sweet Valley Twins Super Editions) | [
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23,575 | 7 | Pick up both of the new Limited Edition Collectors Choose Your Own Star Wars® Adventure titles with hologram covers! A new generation of Star Wars® fans will love using their creativity to navigate their way through the galaxy as they read these interactive books based on the original Star Wars® films.the force is with you in the first of three new interactive Star Wars books!Join Luke, Princess Leia, and Han as they battle the evil Galactic Empire--and you control the twists and turns of the most exciting odyssey in the galaxy.You can help the Rebellion in the war against Darth Vader, or you can betray your friends and side with the Empire.What will you choose?; Title: A New Hope (Choose Your Own Star Wars Adventures) | [
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23,576 | 0 | Mandie made lots of friends this year . . . so many that she doesn't know what to give them all for Christmas! She's stumped--until gifts begin to mysteriously appear on her doorstep, gifts that would be perfect for her friends. Where are the gifts coming from? Is there really an angel at work in Charley Gap?Includes a special holiday craft project perfect for young readers!Best known for her Mandie series, Lois Gladys Leppard has written over 30 books for young readers.; Title: Merry Christmas from Mandie (Young Mandie Mystery Series: Special Edition) | [
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23,577 | 7 | wants to study the S'krrr--a race of creatures that look like giant bugs. While Hoole works, Zak and Tash visit the S'krrr's huge garden--it's the most beautiful place they have ever seen. It's also full of very strange creatures. When a batlike shreev swoops down at Zak, he panics and accidentally kills it. Suddenly, the garden is overrun by big beetles. When Zak wakes up in the middle of the night covered with creepy crawly bugs, he's terrified. Did Zak upset the garden's delicate ecological balance by killing the shreev? Or is something far more sinister at work?; Title: The Swarm (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 8) | [
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23,578 | 2 | Are the Wakefield twins seeing double?Identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield can't believe their eyes. While on a family vacation at the Triple Z Ranch, they meet two perfect guys--who happen to be thirteen-year-old twins! Elizabeth hits if off immediately with Nick Handel, and his brother Chris, is the boy of Jessica's dreams. At first.After one double date, the girls think that maybe they each picked the wrong twin. They don't want to hurt the boys' feelings, so they pull a secret twin switch. Jessica pretends to be Elizabeth . . . and Elizabeth pretends to be Jessica. But on their second date, the Wakefield twins begin to wonder . . . they are each with the right boy now, aren't they?One thing is certain: A twin should know better than to trust a twin.field twins seeingdouble?Identical twins Jessica and ElizabethWakefield can't believe their eyes. While on a familyvacation at the Triple Z Ranch, they meet twoperfect guys--who happen to be thirteen-year-oldtwins! Elizabeth hits if off immediately with NickHandel, and his brother Chris, is the boy ofJessica's dreams. At first.After onedouble date, the girls think that maybe they eachpicked the wrong twin. Theydon't want to hurt the boys' feelings, so they pulla secret twin switch. Jessica pretends to beElizabeth . . . and Elizabeth pretends to be Jessica.But on their second date, the Wakefield twinsbegin to wonder . . . they areeach with the right boy now, aren'tthey?One thing is certain: A twin should k; Title: Twins in Love (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,579 | 2 | Best known for creating Sweet Valley, Francine Pascal has also written magazine articles, TV scripts, novels, and a Broadway musical.SalvadorI couldn't stop thinking about this Sacramento trip, and how it would just be me and Elizabeth. I've always liked her. A lot. And I'm pretty sure she's always felt the same way about me. We even kissed a couple of times. But then Anna freaked out when she found out about us kissing, so Elizabeth and I agreed to be just friends. Anna and I have been best friends forever, so I guess she felt pretty left out.I glanced over at Anna and Brian just as Anna burst out laughing at something Brian said.Anna's totally over that now, I thought. The three of us had been getting along fine, and we were all just friends.But once you start liking someone, you can't just stop. A weekend alone with Elizabeth, without Anna around, could change everything.ElizabethI'd kind of looked forward to some quality time with Salvador, away from our everyday lives. I guess I forgot about the other people on our team, I thought, doing my best to nod and smile at the right times so Ronald wouldn't realize I wasn't paying attention.At least Salvador and I would be sitting together on the bus. And it was a long drive up to Sacramento--we would have plenty of time to talk."Hi, guys!" Bethel McCoy called, interrupting Ronald's explanation of the construction of the capitol rotunda.Turning, I saw Bethel jog up the sidewalk. Even in her baggy jeans and sweatshirt she still looked really graceful and athletic when she ran."Hi, Bethel," I greeted her. Jessica's good friends with Bethel, but I don't talk to her that much. She just seems so, I don't know, intense."Am I the last one here?" Bethel asked, shrugging off her oversized leather backpack and then running one hand over her hair.Ronald shook his head. "No," he said. "Richard isn't here yet.""Yes, he is," a voice resounded from across the street.Glancing up, I saw Richard Griggs loping toward us. All I knew about Richard was that he was Bethel's locker partner. Jessica had informed me that he'd be the one "cool" guy on the trip. Watching him approach, I couldn't help noticing that he was really good-looking. He has wavy, brown hair and intense green eyes. When he said hello and flashed a lopsided, cocky grin, I saw that his teeth were perfectly straight except for one on the bottom that was just a tiny bit crooked. It made his face seem even better looking somehow."Glad you could finally make it, Griggs," Bethel said.Richard chuckled. "Yeah, right, McCoy," he responded. "I saw you booking down the street right in front of me.""It's a good thing we're all here on time," Ronald said. "We have a long ride in front of us. I checked on the Internet, and according to my calculations it will take us slightly over six hours to travel to Sacramento.""Does that allow for traffic developments?" Salvador asked, his face in a mock-serious expression. I stifled a giggle. Salvador can always make me laugh."So where are the chaperons?" Bethel asked, glancing at her watch. "We're supposed to leave soon.""Maybe they decided not to come," Salvador suggested. He pumped his fist in the air. "Par-tay!"Ronald shook his head. "No," he said sternly. "Ms. Upton and Mr. Martinez are definitely coming. It was on the permission slip.""Anyway, this weekend isn't about partying," Bethel told Salvador with a little frown. "We're going up there to try to win this competition for our school. Remember?""Ooookay," Salvador said, holding up both hands. "Whatever."He rolled his eyes at me behind Bethel's back. I shrugged in return. It wasn't like I totally disagreed with Bethel--I mean, the academic competition was the whole reason behind this trip, and we all wanted to win. Of course, that didn't mean we weren't allowed to have any fun at the same time....Just then I heard the sound of grinding gears and turned to see a big, silver bus taking the turn into the school parking lot. It drove over to the curb and stopped in front of us. Through the large, tinted windows I could see kids our age looking out at us."Check out our ride," Salvador said, letting out a low whistle. "So this is how the smart half lives?"I sighed and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. I hate how he's always so down on himself. You'd think after getting the top score on the science test, he'd finally take himself more seriously.That's silly, I reminded myself. Salvador doesn't take anything seriously. It's why I like him so much--he keeps me from being too serious."Who are all those other people?" Salvador asked, staring up at the bus."Didn't you read the schedule they gave us?" I asked.Salvador grinned. "Um, not exactly," he said. "I made it into a paper airplane on my way home. It flew pretty far too."I couldn't help laughing. Typical Salvador.; Title: Three Days, Two Nights (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
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23,580 | 2 | The three members of the Saddle Club-Carole, Lisa, and Stevie - are the best of friends, they're together on the long-awaited Mountain Trail Overnight, Riding through the pine forests, swimming in mountain-water ponds, sharing a tent under the stars...Bonnie Bryant is the author of nearly a hundred books about horses.; Title: Horse Shy (The Saddle Club #2) | [
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23,581 | 6 | Praise for Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of Pablo's Nose:"Encyclopedia Brown is still Idaville's number-one brain and crime stopper . . . a good and fun workout for the brain."--Booklist"A good choice for critical thinkers or for getting children to start problem-solving."--School Library JournalA new title in the bestselling series about the world's greatest supersleuth in sneakers! A slippery salamander, a banana burglar, a judge who's run away, and a presidential toothbrush . . . these are just some of the clues that the world's greatest young detective must use to solve 10 all-new mysteries. Young readers can try to solve the cases alongside Encyclopedia--the answers to all the mysteries are in the back of the book.; Title: Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander | [
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23,582 | 2 | never bothered with the popular clique at school. Now she wants to join their ranks. It doesn't make any sense to her friends--especially when a wave of panic is sweeping through the school hallways and friends need to stick together.<br><br>Students are disappearing.<br><br>Eric is being stalked.<br><br>Mr. Devon mysteriously returns, whispering about dark secrets. Everyone at Parkside Middle School is on edge, and even with her extraordinary skills, Amy is about to find out that being popular can be hazardous to her health.<br><br>See book for details on how you can win a FREE Billy Crawford "Urgently In Love" Maxi Single and Autographed Poster!; Title: Secret Clique (Replica 5) | [
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23,583 | 2 | <b>What's up with Jessica?</b><br><br>Elizabeth doesn't get it.Lately Jessica wants to hang out with her all the time, 24/7.She doesn't mind--Jessica is her twin and her best friend.But when Jessica asks if Liz wants to wear the same outfits to school, it's too weird.Wearing the same clothes is so...fifth grade.Jessica! Breakfast! my mom called up the stairs on Monday morning.Ugh.Maybe I can pretend to be sick, I thought.I rolled over in bed and stared at the ceiling.It's not like I'm usually psyched to go to school, but today I was positively dreading it.My twin sister, Elizabeth, and I had just transferred into a new school, Sweet Valley Junior High.So far, I hated it.The people there were totally unfriendly--especially the It crowd.Not that I expected everyone to just rush up to me, wanting to be my friend, but ...well, why hadn't they? I mean, people at my old school, Sweet Valley Middle, had been dying to be seen with me.I wasn't used to having to make an effort to get people to like me.I wasn't used to not having any friends either.What I needed was a crowd to hang with--quick.So last week I'd spent all of my time trying to hang with the most popular girl in the eighth grade, Lacey Frells.And she'd treated me like the plague.But wait--it gets worse.Last Saturday, I ran into Lacey at the movies.She was with her boyfriend.And when my brother, Steven, came to pick me up, she assumed he was my boyfriend--and I let her! Ick--I'm feeling queasy just remembering the whole scene.I don't know why I did it.I guess I wanted Lacey to think I had an older boyfriend so she would figure I was cool and welcome me into the popular crowd.Now the more I thought about going to school and facing Lacey, the worse I felt.I was actually breaking out in a cold sweat when my mom called up the stairs again."Jessica! You'd better get moving!"I threw back the covers, sighing.I showered, got dressed, and went downstairs.I was running late, and my mom had left me a plate of eggs that were already growing cold.I sat down and picked up my fork.Steven sat across the breakfast table, reading the comics and laughing.Every time he laughed, he spit a tiny bit of scrambled egg on the table.He looked so completely mindless that I could barely concentrate on his brown eyes or thick brown hair or any of the things that would make Lacey think he was a cool boyfriend.I shuddered at the thought.Oh, how had I ever gotten myself into this situation? Lacey was going to find out the truth--and I was going to be dead meat."Jess, are you okay?" my mother asked, coming out of the kitchen.I gave her a weak smile."I'm fine, Mom.""Are you sure?" She looked concerned."You look a little pale."The temptation to say, "Well, actually, I do feel kind of fluish," and crawl back in bed was almost irresistible.But it was only the second week of school--I couldn't pretend to be sick for the rest of the year.So I said, "I'm fine, really," and carried my plate, untouched, over to the sink.I totally zoned as Elizabeth and I walked to the bus stop.She didn't seem to notice anything was wrong--she just kept chattering.Obviously she doesn't hate SVJH as much as I do.Elizabeth had settled down right away.She has this pair of dumb friends, "El Salvador" and Anna, and together they've all joined the school newspaper--boring! That's pretty much all Elizabeth ever talks about now.I studied my twin as we slid into our seat on the bus.Elizabeth fits into the SVJH scene so well, I thought, maybe I should ask her advice.I felt kind of strange about asking, though.Elizabeth had never been more popular than me before.I took a deep breath."Lizzie?""Hmmm?" Elizabeth scribbled something in one of her notebooks."Have you ever--" I paused."Have you ever told someone a lie or, well, not a lie, but a half-truth--not even a half-truth, but a misunderstanding that, um, got out of control?"Elizabeth looked at me with a tiny line between her eyebrows."What is this? A homework question?""No!" I said, exasperated."This is my life we're talking about.""Oh." Elizabeth looked thoughtful."Well, just go to your friend and explain the misunderstanding."That was such typical Elizabeth advice.I rolled my eyes."It's not that easy," I told her.And this isn't about a friend, I thought."Well, what else can you do?" Elizabeth asked.Switch schools, I thought.Enlist in the army.Join the foreign legion.Run away with the circus."Nothing." I sighed as the bus pulled up in front of the school."I guess you're right."As we walked up the sidewalk, I examined the sprawling, two-story, brown-brick building with small windows.The inside was kind of grimy, and the walls were painted a really obnoxious shade of yellow.I wished I were anywhere but here.SVJH is pretty big--bigger than Sweet Valley Middle--so I figured it wouldn't be hard to avoid Lacey during the passing periods.This was a comforting thought.Maybe she would forget all about my "boyfriend" before I ever saw her again.I said good-bye to Elizabeth and headed to my locker.I had planned to pick up all my books so that I could just slink from class to class during the day.But halfway down the hall I saw something that made my stomach practically fall out of my body: Lacey leaning against my locker, sneering at my locker partner, Ronald Rheece.He's the school's biggest nerd.Or smallest nerd, if you want to get technical.I was just about to turn and run away when Lacey suddenly looked over at me ...and smiled.Gulp.I willed a smile to my lips, squared my shoulders, and walked up to Lacey."Hi.""Hi, Jessica," Lacey said.Her sun-streaked brown hair fell to her shoulders in waves.She wore jeans and a pale blue T-shirt that brought out the icy color of her eyes."Hi, Jessica," Ronald squeaked.He looked kind of breathless.I'm sure he never thought Lacey Frells would be hanging out at his locker.Well, I never thought so either."I'm so sorry," he said to Lacey, "but I have to go now, or I'll miss my bus." He took a few steps backward, as though he could hardly bring himself to tear his eyes away from this vision.Then he turned and ran for his bus.It was a real Hallmark Hall of Fame moment.Lacey looked after him with a frown."He takes a special bus over to the high school," I explained."For some brainy math class.""Oh," Lacey said, without much interest.Who could blame her?I figured I'd better tell her all about Steven before I lost my nerve.She's going to find out sooner or later, I reminded myself.I opened my mouth to explain everything, and the bell rang."Come on," Lacey said."Grab your books, or we'll be late for class.I can't wait till lunch!" she went on excitedly."Then we can really talk."I almost dropped the books I had just pulled off the shelf.Lunch? I'd been dying to sit at Lacey's table from the minute I got here.Eating lunch with Lacey could be enough to change my whole life.I could be as popular here as I was at the middle school, maybe more!I must have been staring at Lacey with my mouth open because she said, "Kristin's out sick, so you and I can sit together and talk about our boyfriends."Boyfriends! I felt ill.I didn't want to dig myself any deeper into this lie.Now is the time to tell her, I thought."I didn't see your boyfriend too well, but he looked pretty cute to me." Lacey smiled.If I tell her, then she won't eat lunch with me, and I can kiss being popular good-bye.I didn't know what to do, so I just shrugged.I knew that Lacey could make things easier for me at SVJH.I also knew that she could make them harder.Lacey swung my locker shut."Let's go."I swallowed."Okay," I said weakly.I can't tell Lacey the truth now, I reasoned.The halls are too noisy and crowded.I'll tell her at lunch, when it's just the two of us.Yes, at lunch, definitely.Without a doubt.Or at the very, very latest by the end of the week.; Title: One 2 Many (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
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23,584 | 2 | out, SVJH -- Brian Rainey isn't going to take it anymore!</i><br><br>It's bad enough that Brian's parents treat him like he doesn't exist. But now Kristin is doing the same thing.<br><br>He figures it's probably his fault because he never stands up for himself.<br><br>But that's about to change!Best known for creating Sweet Valley, Francine Pascal has also written magazine articles, TV scripts, novels, and a Broadway musical.; Title: No More Mr. Nice Guy (Sweet Valley Jr. High No. 26) | [
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23,585 | 0 | Some mysteries are better left alone. Thats what Mandies best friend, Joe, says when strange things begin happening in the woods that surround their homes. Unexplained noises, spooky shadows, and weird voices all convince Joe that they should stay away. But Mandie wont have any of that! She declares theres no mystery too scary to solve. At least, there hasnt been until now. . . .Best known for her Mandie series, Lois Gladys Leppard has written over 30 books for young readers.; Title: The Secret in the Woods (Young Mandie Mystery Series #5) | [
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23,586 | 2 | na and Toby's relationship survive creative differences?</i><br><br>Anna thought things with Toby were perfect. Until she had to spend every minute with him working on a stupid play.<br><br>Now they argue 24/7. Part of her says they should just break up, but another part really likes him.<br><br>So what happens now?Best known for creating Sweet Valley, Francine Pascal has also written magazine articles, TV scripts, novels, and a Broadway musical.; Title: Drama Queen (Sweet Valley Jr. High No. 25) | [
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23,587 | 2 | Middle School is going camping! Elizabeth Wakefield can't wait to swim in the lake, sleep in a tent, and roast marshmallows over a campfire. Best of all, the wilderness provides the perfect setting for a little romance with her sort-of boyfriend, Todd Wilkins. Romance is also in the air for Elizabeth's identical twin, Jessica Wakefield. She has her eye on Dennis Asher, a cute seventh-grader who's new at school. But Jessica can't survive without a blow-dryer--how can she impress Dennis when she looks so terrible?<br><br><br><br>Jessica comes up with a brilliant scheme. She pushes her twin (who somehow manages to look great while roughing it) on Dennis, telling him Elizabeth is Jessica! Todd is very confused, and Elizabeth is furious. Elizabeth fights back...by making sure that Jessica's plan works a little too well.; Title: Jessica's First Kiss (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
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23,588 | 2 | America's #1 skating series, Silver Blades has over half a million books in print. The only skating series recognized by the United States Figure Skating Association, this is the first-ever Silver Blades mini-series. Gold Medal Dreams captures the exciting world of figure skating as the drama of actual competitions are unfolding on television!AVAILABLE AT BOOKSTORES NATIONWIDE!wo in an exciting Olympic trilogy!</b><br><br>Tori tries to ignore the terrible news from her doctors.Her heart is set on winning a medal at the national competition--and a place on the U.S.Olympic team.She's determined not to let anything get in her way.But it's hard keeping her illness a secret from her friends.Especially when there's a nosy reporter asking questions about her health.<br><br>The pressure of competing at Nationals is difficult for any skater to handle.And Tori is sick--very sick.Does she have the strength to make her dream come true?; Title: Silver Blades: Now or Never (Gold Medal Dreams, Book 2) | [
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23,589 | 1 | 217;s wrong at home and Lisa feels powerless every time her parents get angry at her or at each other. When CARL, the County Animal Rescue League, puts out an SOS for volunteers, Lisa knows shes found a place where shell be appreciated. Before long, a stray horse named P.J. steals her heart. But just as things seem to be getting better, Lisas parents deliver some news that will change her life forever.<br><br>Stunned and upset, Lisa pulls away from everyoneeven her friendsand devotes herself to caring for P.J. Stevie and Carole know that The Saddle Club can pull through anything, as long as theyre together. But how can they help Lisa if she keeps shying away? When a fiery and famous show jumping team arrives at Pine Hollow and begins stirring up trouble, Carole and Stevie have to convince Lisa that they need her helpfast.<br>; Title: Stray Horse (Saddle Club No. 100) | [
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23,590 | 2 | Jeremy is as wonderful as anyone she's ever known.So why can't Jessica get Will Simmons out of her thoughts?Jessica Wakefield finally found him.Jeremy.The one who loves her for who she is.The one who helps her forget.Forget what?Forget Will Simmons...The one who never bothered to know her at all.Jessica WakefieldEverything is completely wacked right now.Melissa is in the hospital.Will is devastated.Elizabeth is fooling around with the guy she's living with who her best friend is totally in love with.And she stole...well...borrowed his car the other night.That really threw me.It should have given me a little clue that things were about to take an insane turn.But all I can think about is Jeremy.When he kissed me, nothing else seemed to matter.And everything has mattered so much for so long...It just makes me want to kiss him again.Really badly.Elizabeth WakefieldI never want to kiss Conner McDermott again.Really. I'm serious.It's not worth it.It's not worth the look on Maria's face when she caught us.That devastated, pierced, dying-inside look.Just because I can still feel his soft lips on my neck and his tongue tickling my earlobe and his hands...his hands...Okay.So I lied.I want to kiss him again.But that doesn't mean I will.Right?Maria SlaterTo: KenQB@swiftnet.comFrom: mslater@swiftnet.comTime: 11:21 A.M.Subject: Aaaaaaahhh!!!!Ken-I know I already left you a message on your machine, and I swear I'm not stalking you. I just saw Conner and Elizabeth kissing. No. Not kissing. Mauling each other right in the pantry in his kitchen. I feel like I'm going to throw up. I swear. And Liz saw me, and she just stood there. She just looked right at me. And then I bolted. Wuss that I am.She lied to me in the car the other day. She lied! Right to my face.Should I have tried to talk to her?Ken. What do I do? What am I going to do?Call me!!!MariaP.S. Sorry I'm a psycho.Ken MatthewsTo: mslater@swiftnet.comFrom: KenQB@swiftnet.comTime: 1:22 P.M.Subject: Aaaaaaahhh!!!!-ReplyMaria-I would call, but I'm at my aunt's house and I don't have your number here. Tried information, but you're not listed.Man, I'm sorry.To answer your question, I don't think you should have talked to her. You were too upset. And I think it's her turn to come to you now. Then maybe you can talk. Just my opinion.I hope you're okay. I'll be home tonight and I'll call.P.S. You're not a psycho.Jeremy Aames picked up his cordless phone, punched two numbers, and then replaced it on the base."You can do this," he said to himself. "Just ask her."After giving countless locker-room pep talks as captain of the Big Mesa football team, Jeremy had learned the value of a personal go-get-'em speech. It was a great way to combat fear and almost always worked. Almost always."Go for it, Aames," he continued. "You've done it before. This is no different."Actually . . . it is different, Jeremy reminded himself. This is Jessica.Jessica Wakefield. He saw her dancing sapphire eyes, her playful, slightly pouty mouth, her smooth, golden tan skin--all framed by silky golden hair.Jeremy was in love. If he wasn't in love, he figured he should probably see a shrink fast. Ever since he and Jessica had shared their first kiss earlier that afternoon, Jeremy hadn't been able to think of anything else. For once even his overly stressful home life had been back-burnered.He leaned against the Formica kitchen counter, head in hands, and sighed. The next logical step, he knew, was to ask her out and establish the traditional dating pattern that real couples shared. Easy, right? Only it wasn't that easy. Jessica deserved better than the stereotypical dinner-and-movie routine something memorable. Unfortunately Jeremy couldn't afford something memorable. He couldn't even afford something semiforgettable.Jeremy ran his hand through his dark, spiky bangs, mentally listing all the entertainment possibilities in the valley. The beach? No. Too overdone. Ernie's Bowling Alley? Not exactly the classy setting he was hoping for. The Riot? Too loud and hot. Besides, it wasn't really his scene.Suddenly an idea came to him. He jumped out of the chair, picked up the phone, and quickly dialed a set of numbers."Hello?""Hey, Keith. What's up?" Jeremy said brightly."What do you want, Jeremy?" Keith asked, already suspicious.Jeremy knew this wouldn't be easy. Keith Moxon was a friend, but he wasn't the type of person who gave just for the joy of giving. "You still working at the Majestic Theater?" Jeremy asked, picking up a pen and tapping it against the counter."Yeah," Keith answered, drawing out his response."I was wondering if I could scam a couple of tickets for tomorrow night's performance," Jeremy said. He quit tapping and started doodling on the front page of the newspaper."Hot date?" Keith asked with a chuckle. "You want to take advantage of our dark balcony seats, right?""No, Keith." Jeremy's voice went flat. "That's your idea of a hot date. I'm more interested in atmosphere.""Whatever you say." Keith laughed. "The Majestic has plenty of . . . atmosphere."Jeremy ignored Keith's patronizing tone and looked down at the newspaper. He'd been unconsciously drawing hearts. Jeremy dropped the pen. "What's playing there anyway?" he asked."Romeo and Juliet, the Bard's star-crossed lovers," Keith announced with appropriate dramatic flair."Cool. That's romantic.""Sure. I guess. If you think gang warfare, murder, and suicide are romantic," Keith joked."Whatever," Jeremy said. "So what's this going to cost me?""Hmmm. Well, it is last minute . . . ," Keith began gleefully."Come on, Keith," Jeremy said, rolling his eyes."And I am risking my reputation for this," Keith continued. "I mean, for all I know, you and your lady friend could end up heckling the actors or disturbing the rest of the audience with loud, wet kissy noises."Jeremy's patience was rapidly depleting. "You know, you're the one who should be onstage--""How about your autographed Steve Young card?" Keith interrupted."Are you kidding me?""How special did you say this girl was?"Jeremy could just imagine Keith's self-satisfied grin. "Fine, fine. Take it," Jeremy grumbled."Then there's the little matter of waxing my car . . . ," Keith said."No! No way," Jeremy said, slicing his hand through the air as if Keith could see it. "Don't even--""Whoa, Aames. Chill," Keith cut in. "I was just kidding. Who is this girl you want to impress anyway? Cameron Diaz?"Jeremy's temper was inching toward the red zone. "Uh-uh. I'm not giving you any information. Just reserve two of your best seats in my name for tomorrow night's show, okay?""Sure thing, dude. But don't forget to bring Steve," Keith teased.Jeremy hung up with a frustrated groan. He couldn't believe he was giving up Steve Young. But then he thought of Jessica, and immediately his mood began to lighten. He'd hand over the real Steve Young for a chance with her."You can do it, Aames," he mumbled as he carefully punched in her number. His heart was hammering in his ears. "You're in way too deep to blow it now.""Hello?"Jeremy immediately recognized Jessica's voice, and a fluttering sensation filled his chest. Now what? he wondered, panicking."Hey, Jess. It's . . . um . . . it's Jeremy.""Jeremy!" she exclaimed. "How are you? How's your dad?""I'm okay," Jeremy responded. "And my dad's better, but they decided to keep him over one more night to monitor him. He's coming home first thing tomorrow morning.""That's good to hear," Jessica responded quietly, distractedly."Are you okay?" Jeremy asked, his brow creasing."Yeah. I'm just . . . dealing with some stress," she said.Jeremy nodded. "I know about stress. Actually, I own that word. I think you owe me royalties for using it in a sentence."Jessica laughed, and Jeremy took a deep breath. Time to take the plunge."Listen, Jess," he began. "I--I wanted to know if you had any plans for tomorrow night." Jeremy's heart moshed inside him. He gripped the phone with both hands as if an invisible defensive line were rushing after it."Well, I'm working until six-thirty, but after that I'm free. Why?" A playful tone returned to Jessica's voice."I was wondering if you'd like to . . . go out." Jeremy let the words tumble free."Sounds great! Where to?"Jeremy's heart jumped. "I . . . um . . ." An idea suddenly took shape in his mind. "I can't tell you. It's a surprise.""A surprise?" Jessica's pitch rose excitedly. "I left you three hours ago. How did you come up with a surprise date that fast?""It's a special talent," Jeremy said, smiling."Can I have one hint?" Jessica asked."Well . . . it's bigger than a bread box.""Gee, thanks," she said sarcastically. "At least give me a clue to location.""It's definitely on this planet. In California, to be more precise." Jeremy leaned back in his chair."Okay. I guess that rules out flying the Concorde to Paris."<br... ; Title: Boy Meets Girl (Sweet Valley High Sr. Year(TM)) | [
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23,591 | 10 | tomb has been discovered and the Germans are determined to rob it. It's 1937 and the Germans want to use the treasure to finance their global operations. But half-living mummies are trapped inside the tomb. Twelve-year-old Alex O'Connell knows what that means: trouble. If Alex doesn't stop the Germans, they'll ransack the temple -- and Cleopatra will never reach the spirit world. Will Alex get to the tomb in time?Dave Wolverton is the bestselling author of the Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice series for middle-grade readers.; Title: Heart of the Pharaoh (The Mummy Chronicles, 2) | [
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23,592 | 2 | re something in the water at SVJH?Bethel walked into school one day and everyone was part of a couple. Now all anybody can talk about is who's going with whom and who passed somebody a note and giggle giggle giggle!It makes her sick.And happy that she'll never be that way!BethelI nudged Jessica Wakefield's arm."There she is," I said. "Kennedy Middle School's star cross-country runner. She's the one to beat."It took Jessica a second to figure out who I was talking about. She glanced-around, the ten neon butterfly clips in her blond hair flashing in the southern California sun. We were standing in the Sweet Valley Junior High grandstand, waiting for the Tuesday afternoon all-district home track meet to begin.All around us in the stands kids were talking and yelling, waiting for their events, watching their teammates, or just horsing around.Below us on the track they were setting up for the boys' two-hundred-meter sprint. Kids were tacking down their starting blocks in the staggered start ahead of the backstretch."Down there," I said. I pointed, and Jessica looked.Karla Cassidy, the Kennedy Terror, in Kennedy Middle School red and white, was using the track to practice starts. Not only was she great at cross-country; she was good at middle distances. I wondered if she had a special training regimen.Jessica saw who I was pointing to just as Karla dropped out of her sprint and started jogging. She looked so relaxed, you couldn't tell how great her form was."Her?" Jessica asked, frowning."You didn't see her before. She was flying." I glared at Karla, psyching myself up to beat her in the cross-country later, then noticed someone sprinting up behind her.He wore the SVJH team colors--blue-and-silver shorts and a tank top with his number pinned to the front. His dark legs flashed up and down as he raced up the homestretch in perfect form--arms pumping close in, knees high.He crossed the hundred-meter finish line and rounded the curve. Finally he slowed, shaking out his hands, and turned to run back toward the stands.I recognized him. Jameel Davis, from the boys' team. He joined this year. Sometimes in the hall at SVJH, I'd turn around and he'd be staring at me. He'd said hi a couple of times. He had lots of friends, and he seemed nice. I hadn't paid much attention to him.I'd never watched him run all alone like that before, though. I'd just seen him in the middle of a pack of other boys. I knew he was good--he had to be, to make the team--but I hadn't realized he was that good."Wow," I whispered."He's good," said Jessica."Better than good. That was fantastic."She fluttered her eyelashes at me. "Fantastic, as in you like him?""Give me a break!"Jessica leaned forward, slitted her eyes, and studied Jameel as he jogged toward us. Then she glanced at me. She was smiling a little too widely.Uh-oh. Wheels were spinning in her head, I could tell. I looked for something to distract her.Karla Cassidy had left the track. I couldn't see where she'd gone.Jessica nudged me. "Check out that girl's nails," she hissed, nodding toward a girl dressed in a blue Jefferson Middle School sweatshirt. The girl's fingernails were bright green, with glow-in-the-dark, alien-head decals on them. "You never do your nails, but you should. You have great hands."Jessica--queen of the short attention span! Sometimes I wonder how she can stay focused long enough to run a whole 3K race. "Spare me the Barbie brigade recruitment speech. I would never wear a color like that or put on those stupid stickers," I muttered."Yeah, and what a waste! A bright color would look great on you. I could do your nails for you. If I'd brought my polish today, I could do them now. I mean, how many hours do they need to set up for cross-country?"On the track below, Jameel headed for the hundred-meter starting line again, knelt down, backed his feet into a set of starting blocks, put his hands right behind the line, leaned forward, lifted his butt, and took off as though he'd heard the starting pistol. Fast? Like lightning. I wanted to check my watch and see how fast he ran one hundred meters, but I couldn't take my eyes off him. He ran through the finish line and on around the curve again before he slowed."Wow," I whispered again before I could stop myself."Clear the track. Clear the track for the seventh-grade-boys, two-hundred-meter sprint," said a voice on the PA.Jameel jogged back to the starting line and pulled his starting blocks off the track.Jessica waved her hand in front of my face. "Earth to Bethel.""Did you see that?""We have ribbons in the press box for sixth-grade girls, one hundred meters, for Tilton, Friesner, and Jens," said the announcer over the PA. "Seventh-grade boys, first call for the two-hundred-meter sprint.""See what?" said Jessica. "I hope Krebsy put some juice in the cooler. I'm feeling weak with boredom.""Jameel. It wasn't even a race, but he ran so fast!"Jessica smiled at me, that sly smile she got when she was scheming. "Don't look now, but he's coming this way."I whipped around to see Jameel running up the grandstand stairs toward us.He paused at the end of our row, looking around the stands. Then he glanced down.Straight into my eyes.He smiled this slow smile.My pulse sped up. My face felt hot. He was cute!Then he kept on running up the stairs."Hmmm," Jessica said. "Yes, we have an interesting situation here. History being made. Bethel looks at a boy and blushes. Mmm-hmm.""Oh, shut up.""Come on. I saw your face. You know you like him.""Maybe a little." I could feel my mouth smil-ing. I couldn't stop it."Wait a see," said Jessica. "What did you call him? Jameel?""Jameel Davis," I agreed."Oh no. This isn't going to work."It was weird how her saying that made me feel. I didn't think: Work? What work? What are you talking about? I thought: Wait a sec--what do you mean, it's not going to work? How would you know?"What are you talking about?" I said."I remember now. Jameel Davis. He's the seventh-grader who's so good, he's training with the eighth-grade boys, right?""Right.""Seventh grade, Bethel. Seventh. Grade. He's a little kid!""Yeah, sure, like we're so much older. Anyway, who cares how old he is? Doesn't stop him from being a talented runner."Jessica shook her head slowly. "So sad.""What?""It's the first time I've seen you falling for somebody, and it's a little kid.""Falling? What are you talking about? Can't I admire somebody without it being some kind of . . . something?"She grinned, her blue-green eyes twinkling. "Nope," she said. "Actually, now that I think about it, it's kind of sweet." She poked around in her gym bag and pulled out a flyer. "Hey, remember this beach party Saturday after next?" she said, showing me the flyer. SVJH Annual Beach Blowout Saturday the 15th! Food, Dancing, Bonfire, and Fun! We'd all gotten flyers for it first period that morning."Sure," I said."You going?""I guess," I said. "Why not? I love to dance.""Well, look. Why go alone? You could ask Jameel to go with you, and then you'd have a built-in dance partner," she said."What? Get out of here!""Come on. You know you want to.""You're crazy," I laughed.She fumed away, still smiling that mischievous smile. "Hey! Ginger! Mary!" She waved wildly at some of the other members of our cross-country team, who were trotting up the stairs, carrying bottles of water. "Guess who Bethel likes!""Bethel likes somebody?" asked Ginger. Mary stared at me with mild surprise. She's one of the calmest people I know. Her looking surprised is the equivalent of somebody else going into shock."Shut up." I poked Jessica in the ribs."You'll never guess," Jessica persisted, scooting along the bench to get away from me. "It's somebody here in the stadium."Ginger and Mary looked around for likely candidates."Shut up," I said again, scooting along the bench to get within poking range of Jessica.She scooted away again. "And they just had, like, a moment.""I miss all the good stuff!" Ginger wailed."Shut up," I said between clenched teeth.Jessica laughed. "My lips are sealed," she told Mary and Ginger. "I won't tell you, but it's someone with the initials--mmmph!"I slapped my hand over her mouth. Ginger's eyes got wide. Mary smiled half a smile and nodded in that serious way she has. She took Ginger's arm and dragged her away.Slowly I let Jessica go.She sighed. "Seriously, though. Would you go out with Jameel? I mean, if he actually asked you?""I don't go out with anyone," I said. "I've got enough going on in my life. I don't need a boyfriend."That was easy to say. It was a lot harder to get Jameel's smile out of my mind.; Title: Third Wheel (Sweet Valley Jr. High No. 12) | [
23544,
23560,
23561,
23563,
23569,
23572,
23583
] | Train |
23,593 | 1 | 8217;s on the trail ride of her life!</b><br><br>Lisa Atwood and Carole Hanson are going to the Bar None Ranch to see their friend Kate. Of course, the Bar None means horses, but this year theres also a cool archaeological dig going on nearby, and the girls are frequent visitors to the site. Theyre having a perfect tripand what better way to enjoy it than with a bareback midnight trail ride to watch a meteor shower? <br><br>On the trail ride, Carole falls seriously ill, and Lisa has to leave her to get help. But there are other people out in the desert that night, and they dont want Lisa to go anywhere. Now Lisa must ride for her lifeand Caroles.Bonnie Bryant is the author of The Saddle Club series and numerous novels for young people.; Title: Trail Ride (Saddle Club No. 99) | [
23573,
23580,
23601
] | Validation |
23,594 | 7 | Praise for Replica #1, Amy, Number Seven: "A compelling page-turner, with Kaye leaving only the subtlest of clues. Readers will become increasingly engrossed as Amy searches for the truth about her past, and they'll like the outcome, which is satisfying yet open-ended enough to leave them anxious for the next in the series. -- Booklist"Perfect for escapist reading. The topic of cloning is a hot one and the book will raise interesting questions for discussion." -- School Library JournalPraise for Replica #1, Amy, Number Seven: "A compelling page-turner, with Kaye leaving only the subtlest of clues. Readers will become increasingly engrossed as Amy searches for the truth about her past, and they'll like the outcome, which is satisfying yet open-ended enough to leave them anxious for the next in the series. -- Booklist"Perfect for escapist reading. The topic of cloning is a hot one and the book will raise interesting questions for discussion." -- School Library Journal; Title: Missing Pieces (Replica 17) | [
23602
] | Validation |
23,595 | 7 | nd Uncle Hoole stop on the planet Ithor for supplies, including a mineral the Shroud needs for its engines. The mineral isn't available on Ithor, but one of the Ithorians knows where they can find it--on a mining colony in the middle of a space slug-filled asteroid belt. The journey to the colony is filled with many dangers. But nothing prepares Hoole, Tash, and Zak for what they meet when they reach their destination. An ancient life-form has been released from its tomb. It has lurked there, waiting, for many years. It cannot be seen. It is made from pure evil. And its name is Spore.; Title: Spore (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 9) | [
17290,
23533,
23535,
23541,
23543,
23557,
23567,
23577,
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] | Test |
23,596 | 7 | els of Jabba the Hutt's palace where Han Solo lies frozen in carbonite, to the interior of a new Death Star where Darth Vader and the Emperor plot incredible evil, to the ancient forest of Endor where Ewoks play, you will enter a galaxy far, far away, and have the power to alter a deadly struggle between good and evil. Will you fight against the Empire? Or side with Darth Vader and learn the ways of the dark side of the Force? The fate of the galaxy is in your hands.; Title: Return of the Jedi (Choose Your Own Star Wars Adventures) | [
23558,
23575,
73808,
73817
] | Test |
23,597 | 2 | Damon's English teacher is so nice. Really nice. And pretty too.He'd better not say that to Jessica, though.She'd accuse him of having a crush.Like that'd happen.Best known for creating Sweet Valley, Francine Pascal has also written magazine articles, TV scripts, novels, and a Broadway musical.; Title: She Loves Me...Not (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
23566,
23572,
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] | Train |
23,598 | 2 | Elizabeth knows they're plotting something.<br><br>It's so obvious.<br><br>Jessica barely even talked to Salvador before, and now she calls him all the time. To discuss Elizabeth's love life!<br><br><i>I know they're jealous, but I wish they'd give it up.<br><br>Because I really really like this guy.</i>SalvadorI shoved open the door to the boys' locker room on Wednesday afternoon, feeling my usual lack of eagerness. Somehow I never got the my-life-isn't-complete-without-sports gene that most guys are born with. Gym isn't exactly my favorite class of the day. That'd be lunch.I saw Damon Ross by his locker. "Hey," I said. He lifted his hand in a wave and flashed a brief smile.Even though Damon hangs around with a lot of people in my grade, he's actually a ninth-grader. He's been going out with Elizabeth's twin, Jessica, for a while, but I still don't know him all that well.I continued walking toward my locker in the back, passing a bunch of guys grouped around a locker in the center of the room."Isn't she one of those cute blond twins?" I heard one of the guys say. I stopped, dropping down onto a bench between the guys and my locker as I waited to hear the response."Yeah, and she's even cuter up close," a familiar voice replied.Richard Griggs.I bent over and pretended to inspect something on my shoe."We went to Vito's yesterday," Richard said. "And we're catching a movie today. She is definitely into me."I felt my teeth clench. Stay calm, I told myself. So he was bragging to his friends about Elizabeth. It's not like he was saying anything bad."So how long do you think this one will last?" someone asked him. "A week? Two weeks?""Yeah, how many girls have you gone through so far this year, Griggs?" another guy put in. "Like, twenty?"My hands tightened into fists. Richard was a player? He was using Elizabeth? I wondered if Elizabeth would visit me in prison after I killed him for her."No, guys, this one's different," Richard insisted. "Elizabeth's awesome. She's really sweet and smart too."I let out a slow, deep breath. Elizabeth was awesome. More than that. So maybe Richard used to be a jerk, but he was trying to reform for Elizabeth."This one's different," one of the other guys mimicked. They all started to laugh, and my body stiffened again. "Griggs, you say that every time, man.""Not every time," Richard protested. "Remember Shari?" He shook his head, and his friends just laughed harder.My head was spinning. I glanced up to see if Damon was listening, but I couldn't catch his eye--he was staring down at the floor.I winced as I pictured the way Elizabeth's face had glowed when she talked about Richard yesterday. He was right--she was really into him. But unfortunately, it looked like I'd been right too--he wasn't good enough for her.Still, if I tried to warn her, she'd think I was just a jealous jerk. I could already imagine the lecture I'd get from Anna. Let Elizabeth be happy and give it up already, she'd say.Still, I have to do something, I thought. But what?Jessica"...then he leaned over," Elizabeth said, her eyes filled with this lost, dreamy expression. "And he kissed me, right in front of everyone at I Scream. I mean, don't worry, it was really fast, and I don't think anyone saw. But isn't that so sweet?"I cringed. Every time I thought about the way that jerk was playing Elizabeth, I got so furious. The whole time I'd been waiting for her to come home, I'd been dreaming up revenge schemes. I'd even thought about asking Bethel to burn all of Richard's stuff from their locker or something. But now Elizabeth was pouring out the whole story of how he'd asked her to be his girlfriend, and I realized what I really needed was to help my sister get over the guy somehow. She'd really fallen for him. Hard."It's almost like he put a spell on me," Elizabeth continued.I sighed. "Actually, that's what I'm worried about," I said, perching on the edge of the bed next to her."What do you mean?" she asked, frowning."Look, Liz, there's something I have to tell you," I said. She stared at me, her brow furrowed. I hated having to break my sister's heart--but I'd rather do it myself than leave the job to Richard Griggs."Richard is a big-time player," I blurted out. "He goes through girls like dirty laundry--and his friends are even teasing him about how long you're going to last."Elizabeth scrunched up her face in disbelief. "Where did you hear that?" she asked.I jumped up and started pacing around the room. "Richard was bragging in the boys' locker room about how he scored one of the Wakefield twins, and his friends all started picking on him about how you wouldn't last any longer than all the other girls he's gone out with."Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Jessica," she said in this weird, supercalm voice. "Since when do you hang out in the boys' locker room?""Well," I admitted. "I wasn't exactly there, but Salvador and-""Salvador told you this?" Elizabeth burst out. Slowly her face transformed into an expression of total rage. "I knew he was acting a little weird about the whole thing," she said. "But I never thought he'd..." She trailed off, then narrowed her eyes at me. "And you actually listened to him? It didn't occur to you that he was making it all up because he's jealous? Jess, how could you?"I sank down next to her on the bed again. "Liz, I know Salvador's jealous, but that's not the point. Damon was there too, and he said it was all true. I asked him because I didn't believe Salvador either.""Just stop, okay?" Elizabeth interrupted. "I know Richard, and he's not like that at all. I don't know why my own sister can't just be happy for me that I have this amazing, wonderful boyfriend."I stared at her helplessly, noticing the glint of tears gathering in her eyes. Obviously the direct approach wasn't going anywhere. Richard really had put a spell on her. I'd have to think of something more creative.And as much as I hated to admit it--I was going to need help.; Title: Hands Off! (Sweet Valley Jr. High(TM)) | [
23563,
23566,
23569,
23572,
23579,
23584,
23586,
23597,
23603,
23605,
23624,
23634
] | Test |
23,599 | 2 | kefield sisters are determined to keep their New Years resolution.Even if it kills them.Identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield have always considered themselves best friends, but lately they've been acting more like best enemies.So they make a New Year's resolution:no more arguing or disagreeing about anything.Jessica forces herself to gush over Elizabeth's new blouse, even though it's the dweebiest thing she's ever seen.Elizabeth pretends she's thrilled to run into Jessica and her Unicorn Club friends at the movies, even though the Unicorns are the snobbiest girls on the planet.And when adorable Eric Weinberg moves to Sweet Valley, the twins decide they can both have crushes on him.Jessica and Elizabeth will always be sisters...but will they always be best friends?; Title: If Looks Could Kill (Sweet Valley Twins) | [
23454,
23459,
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23510,
23530,
23532,
23538,
23542,
23546,
23548,
23549,
23555,
23559,
23578,
23587
] | Test |
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